Ultimate Power Rangers: Time Force
by Ryuranger
Summary: Wes never had to fight for anything...until Time Force drafted him into a war against criminals from the future. (Year Six of my Ultimate Power Rangers series).
1. Time's Convicts

_**Author's note: **The following adaptation of Time Force begins Year Six of my Ultimate Power Rangers series, a massive AU/Reboot that incorporates Sentai, Kamen Rider, Metal Heroes and anime. This story features Wes, Eric, Jenn and Lucas from Time Force and Damien (Domon) and Sion from Timeranger. _

* * *

**Time's Convicts**

_**Angel Grove 3006AD**_

Ornate towers of steel and technology extended into the orange-tinted city skies as hover cars flew through the air. Some towers held small parks of freshly cut green grass, while others served as business observatories.

In the north section of the city sat a circular command complex with several rectangular buildings webbing out from the main compound. A yellow and black giant-sized robo stomped around the perimeter of the compound near a tall gate shaped like an upside down 'V.' A runway connected the gate to the complex.

Inside the complex was a wide atrium that looked out upon a part of the city teeming with trees and grass interlaced peacefully with towers of concrete and steel.

Lines of young men and women stood with their backs to the atrium. They each wore neatly trimmed white body suits made of a plastic leathery type material. Most were human, but other species were thrown into the mix as well. Aquitions, Kerovians, Triforians, Zentron, Rigelians, and even a Titan.

A life-sized hologram of a man in similar attire appeared before them. His uniform was trimmed with black and he wore a pair of small black lenses over his eyes. His name was Alex.

"Welcome to Time Force," he told the new recruits as he started their initiation. "You were chosen from among your peers because you are the best at what you do. Let this fact go to your head, and you will be killed in the line of duty. Guaranteed. You all still have a lot to learn about operating in the field, and you don't need your egos getting in the way. Understood?"

"Yes sir," the assembled said.

Not all answered however.

A young man with shaggy, sandy blonde hair and sideburns was too busy checking out one of the female recruits in front of him, his olive-green eyes looking up and down her body. She had long dark hair and deep brown eyes accentuated by her tan skin. His name was Damien, and hers was Jenn.

The Captain continued.

"…Our forces will respond to any threat that disrupts the normal course of time, using conventional means whenever possible. For emergencies involving metas, or gene-beasts, we are capable of assembling a Ranger team of five, which you'll learn more about as our orientation continues…"

* * *

Off the coast of Angel Grove was a small prison building resting on an artificially created island. The building extended into the sky like a mushroom as a hover transport flew towards its upper docking bay.

Inside the steel-gray prison walls was a small room equipped with a cylinder-shaped cryogenic unit. Prisoners were shrunk and placed in suspended animation by using the unit.

A blue-scaled creature with four red eyes and long tentacles was in the transparent chamber as sprouts of mists surrounded him, and every cell in his body shrunk, freezing him in a state of suspended animation.

A heavily armored guard manned a podium control console nearby and looked over a holo diagram of the prisoner to make sure the stasis was complete.

The guard nodded to one of the other three officers in the room, and that guard walked forward to the chamber as it slid open with a loud hiss. He placed the prisoner in a small transparasteel canister and placed it on a temporary storage shelf nearby.

The guard at the podium scrolled down to the next prisoner as a grin spread across his face. "Prisoner 35273…"

The rear doors slid open as three guards escorted in a creature resembling an overgrown blowfish. He had blue skin and narrow eyes.

"Dorunero…" the guard said as he prepped the cryogenic unit. "We've been waiting a long time for this…"

* * *

Alex's holographic gaze spanned across the candidates as he finished his introduction.

"That will be all for now," he said. "Take a 30 minute break and reconvene in chamber B-13."

The holograph vanished and the recruits relaxed after more than an hour of standing at attention.

Jenn crossed her arms as she stared contemplatively at where the hologram had stood. Damien ran his hand through his hair to straighten him as he walked up besides her. "Hey," he said. "How about when we're done here, we head out for some caf?"

Jenn raised her eyebrow with annoyance as she looked to Damien. "No thank you," she said coldly as she turned and walked away.

Damien heard a slight chuckle from behind him and turned to see a dark haired young man leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. His name was Lucas.

"With tact like that you'll never get a girl in our time," Lucas said with a teasing grin on his face. "You'd have to go back to the stone age."

"I didn't ask," Damien said, merely shrugging Lucas off.

A young bright-eyed male from a species Damien didn't recognize walked up to him. The young off-worlder appeared Asian at first glance, only with shaggy pale-green hair. His name was Sion.

"Are you Damien?" Sion asked as he looked up to the taller recruit with his eyes wide with excitement. "The pro fighter?"

Damien was slightly taken aback, but managed a nod. "I am that."

Sion's smile brightened as he pulled out a small pen. "Could I have your autograph?"

* * *

Back at the ocean prison, the guard commander slapped a small twisted patch onto Dorunero's arm as he led the crime boss towards the suspension chamber.

A grin flashed across the guard's face. "Oh, this is going to hurt…"

Dorunero remained steady and calm as he entered the chamber. The chamber's transparent doors slid shut as the podium officer began the cryogenic startup sequence.

One of the guards suddenly aimed his blaster rifle at the control officer and opened fire. Phased energy blasts ripped through the officer and knocked him away from the podium. The other guards in the room opened their eyes wide with shock as the assailant's holo-cloak dropped. A gold-plated droid stood and extended his hand forward. His metal fingers morphed into blaster cannons that opened fire. The pulse shots ripped through the guards, and their lifeless bodies collapsed.

The android moved towards the podium and used it to release Dorunero. Alarms started blaring just as the crime boss stepped from his chamber and lifted one of the fallen guards blaster rifles.

"Good work, Gien," Dorunero said.

The rear chamber doors opened as another group of soldiers and guard droids poured in. Dorunero and Gien opened fire.

* * *

Time Force's new recruits gathered in chamber B-13. A holographic image of a wrist brace twirled in midair as a computerized voice gave them information. The brace was a Chrono Morpher, the transformation device used to create Time Force's Ranger team.

Sirens suddenly started to blare as the image of the morpher vanished. The chamber doors opened as Alex walked in. The cadets immediately snapped to attention.

Alex looked over the recruits through the black lenses covering his eyes.

"We have a Level Eight Incursion," he said. "2006 AD. Looks like some of you will be getting your first assignment earlier than expected…"

Alex looked over the cadets and started choosing a team, seemingly at random.

"You," Alex said while pointing at Damien.

"You're kidding," Damien said quietly in shock.

"You," Alex said while pointing at Sion.

The young extraterrestrial's eyes opened with surprise and joy.

"You." Alex pointed at Lucas.

Lucas's jaw actually dropped.

"And…" Alex hesitated as he scanned for the next recruit.

"Sir," Jenn said while stepping forward. "Let me take this mission. The 21st century was my prime area of study."

Alex hesitated before nodding.

A hologram shimmered to life behind Alex. The image showed three older men sitting behind a rectangular table.

"These are _cadets,_" the center man said firmly.

"I'm well aware of their rank," Alex said without looking back at the hologram. He tilted his head up to address the compound's intercom system. "Captain to Launch Control. Bring the Providus System online."

* * *

Dorunero and Gien tossed their weapons aside. Corpses and scrap piles that used to be soldiers and droids littered the prison bay floor.

"I enjoy it when opportunity lets me get my own hands dirty," Dorunero said. He peeled the patch from his body. The patch would have allowed him to shrink and freeze in stasis. "Gien…set up the device."

Gien pulled a small golden sphere from his waist and placed the sphere on the nearest control console. The sphere sent out a pulse that penetrated the fortress' systems. The prison fortress shimmered and vanished from thin air.

* * *

Alex and his new team walked at a quickened pace down a corridor. The corridor led to the docking pad for the Time Ship _Becket. _

Outside, the bulky Time Ship raised onto the circular launch platform. A yellow-plated zord stood in position behind the Time Ship and raised its right arm like a catapult. The base's computer spoke over the comm system. "Providus, stand by…Providus, stand by…"

Alex led his team into a small circular room. The room was lined with a dozen smooth control panels. Each panel came with neuro-transmitters and replicators.

Damien stammered with frustration, not like being rushed, as Alex pushed him over to one of the panels.

"Everyone, interface with the system," Alex said. They each placed their right palms on the control panels. "Computer: early 21st century clothing."

Blue light flooded the room as clothing synthesized around the rangers. Neuro transmitters dumped information about the early 21st century directly into the rangers' brains, causing discomfort to all but Alex. Images flashed before their minds' eyes. The Statue of Liberty. Baseball. Presidents. Slang.

Sion was dressed in white khaki pants and a drab-green hooded sweatshirt. Lucas wore a black leather jacket with a dark navy blue undershirt. Damien was given a brown jacket. Jenn was given brown leather jacket and skirt, with a black undershirt. Alex was dressed in a black shirt with black dress pants.

The five rangers teleported with a flash of yellow energy into the Time Ship's cockpit. They each sat around the ship's circular control station. The center station irised open and a small, blue robotic owl rose to the platform.

"I am Takku…data and navigation droid," the owl said. "Coordinates set for 2006 AD."

The whine of the Time Ship's power systems filled the control room. The ship's hover pads activated, lifting the hull from the launch platform. The Time gate radiated with power as the portal formed.

"Providus system," Takku said, "launch."

The Providus zord swung its massive fist towards the Time Ship. The fist smashed against the Time Ship and throttled the vessel forward. The ship accelerated closer to the Time Gate. But suddenly, the prison fortress shimmered to life between the Time Ship and Time Gate.

"A teleportation!" Takku said in alarm. "Aborting lau-"

Alex pulled a slender blaster out and shot Takku with a disrupter pulse. The blast slammed against Takku and knocked the droid from the control station. Before the other rangers could respond, the Time Ship slammed against the prison fortress. The Time Ship and fortress shot through the Time Gate and vanished with a streak of dissipating light.

A tunnel of pastel violet and pink lights surrounded the ship and fortress while the two structures blasted through the time stream. The rangers were disoriented by the experience, throttling through hundreds of years in a matter of seconds.

* * *

_**Angel Grove 2006AD**_

The Time Ship's control room was in shambles. Sparks flew in every direction. Panels and light fixtures hung from the ceilings and walls. The rangers were each thrown across the floor.

Lucas pulled himself to his feet, moaning while he felt the back of his injures head. He staggered over to the control room's view port. He looked outside and saw a rocky shore, lined with moss and plant life. He turned and looked at the nearest console. A console filled with digital static displayed the date: April 23, 2006.

"We're here…" he said in shock as the others staggered to their feet. He turned to face them, and felt the sensation of cold steel against his temple. It was Alex, holding a weapon to Lucas's head.

"Too bad you won't be alive long to appreciate it," Alex said, a cold grin on his face.

"Stop!" a voice shouted. It was Jenn.

Alex turned to see her, moving his blaster slightly away from Lucas. Jenn struck at that moment, kicking the blaster out of Alex's hand.

The blaster bounced off the control table and landed on Damien's head. He winced at the shock of the blow as he sat up. Sion stirred to consciousness besides him.

Jenn grabbed Alex's arm and twisted, locking the arm into position behind the captain as she slapped an energy cuff from his wrist to the control station. Jenn pulled a badge from her jacket.

"I'm Jenn Yuuri with the Inter-City Police. I've been watching you for some time now, imposter," Jenn said, snapping into an authoritative voice that the other rangers didn't think the seemingly gentle girl could ever have.

Alex wrinkled his brow and glared at her. "What did you-"

"Don't be surprised," Jenn said, not having patience for any of the imposter's nonsense. "The word on the street was that your group had infiltrated the Time Savers Project to upset the balance of time. I went undercover to find you."

Alex smiled sarcastically. "Fascinating story…"

He snapped free from the cuffs and slammed a palm-heel strike against Jenn's chest. Jenn tripped backward and fell against Damien, Sion and Lucas.

Alex sneered at them and lifted his hand. His body appeared to shimmer as his nanite cloak dropped, revealing a woman with dark pink hair and a suit of glistening white body armor.

"You! Lira!" Jenn shouted.

Lira kicked Jenn upside the head, then turned her attention to the other rangers.

* * *

The crashed prison ship lied among heavy green foliage in the woods outside the city. Dorunero and Gien stepped outside the damaged fortress and surveyed their surroundings.

"We made it, Gien," Dorunero said.

Before the crime boss could finish speaking, he heard someone approach through the woods. Gien's eyes turned red. He snapped his hand blasters into position and aimed forward. Dorunero stood at attention too, ready for whatever dangers the 21st century had in store.

"You can relax, boys," a voice said. It was Lira, walking through the trees. "It's just me."

Gien smiled mischievously. They had done it. No one could stop them now. "Come, Lira. We have work to do…"

* * *

The Time Ship's auto destruct sequence kept counting down. Lira had the rangers bound with their hands behind their backs. Damien struggled to snap the metal bindings free, but the metal only dug into his wrist.

He noticed Sion in what looked like deep concentration as he stared ahead. The fallen droid Takku was laying near the off-worlder's back. Sion was reaching back with his hands and tinkering with wiring behind a panel on the droid.

"What are you doing?" Damien asked. "This ship is about to explode!"

"I know these droids," Sion said. "I can reactivate him."

Takku's eyes blinked on. The owl-shaped droid hovered off the floor. "What has happened?"

"Takku," Sion said. "Stop the ship's self destruct."

But it was too late. The timer reached zero.

* * *

Nearby, a teen jogged down an old road, passing through a tunnel beneath the bridge. He pulled back the hood of his sweatshirt when he reached the end of the tunnel, and wiped sweat from his brow.

In the distance, he saw plumes of smoke rising from the shore. He knitted his brow, his curiosity peaked. He ran towards the smoke to investigate.

* * *

Takku had freed the rangers from their bindings. They left the Time Ship seconds before it exploded in a sphere of flame. The shockwave slammed against the rangers, knocking them off their feet and shooting them through the air. The rangers tumbled across the ground.

* * *

The teenage jogger ran towards the site of the explosion. He noticed five people laying across the ground among debris. Smoke still clouded the air and small pieces of fiery debris dotted the landscape.

He moved over to the young woman, no more than a year or two older than him. He saw the rise and fall of her chest and reached down, gently shaking her shoulders. "Hey…are you alright?"

Jenn's vision slowly blurred into focus as she lifted her head. A wave of dizziness immediately struck her, but when it cleared, she noticed the face staring down at her. It was the face of Alex.

Jenn acted on instinct, springing to her feet while slamming a knifehand strike against his neck, and a roundkick against his side. She pushed forward as the teen started defending himself.

He reached down to block a kick and back up to block a kick aimed towards his head. "Calm down," he said as she forced him back with a flurry of kicks. "What are you-" Her heel slammed against his jaw.

The other rangers slowly regained consciousness and rose to their feet. Their minds cleared as they noticed Jenn attacking a young man who looked identical to Alex. Just as Jenn did, they assumed it was Lira in disguise.

Damien and Lucas charged forward to help Jenn. The teen noticed Lucas and Damien charged forward through the corner of his eye. He knew he would have to start fighting back.

The teen spun forward with a reverse crescent kick that Jenn ducked under. He continued past her to gain distance, but Damien and Lucas lunged towards him.

Damien swung a hook punch towards the teen's face. The jogger sidestepped past the punch while knocking his attacker's fist away. Lucas launched a jump kick towards the teen, which he blocked.

The teen turned to his right to see Sion standing with his arms at his sides, a child-like grin on his face. "Hello," he said. He lifted a small gold pin and pressed a button on its side. A light flashed that knocked the teen unconscious.

* * *

Lira entered the wrecked prison tower alongside Dorunero and Gien. Gien pulled a metal case from the wall nearby. He pried the case open and dumped its contents onto the deck. Gold pellets, bolts. And rings scattered across the floor.

The objects liquefied and joined together in a massive puddle. The puddle of metal started shifting into various shapes. Dozens of humanoid figures rose and solidified, transforming into droid soldiers.

Lira knitted her brow at the sight of the soldiers. "What are they?"

"Junk Droids," Gien cheerfully replied. "Zenitto."

Gien was a droid himself, only highly sophisticated and intelligent. The Zenitto were his own creation. Each was surprisingly cheap to manufacture and destructive. The dirt-gold droids were stiff bodied and each armed with short, round-edged swords.

Lira walked across the line of soldiers while running her hands along the droids. "Interesting…" she purred.

"They will do," Dorunero said. It was time for them to enter the city. The crime lord was curious as to what riches and treasures the 21st century had.

* * *

The city's northern financial district was ripe for the taking. Zenitto spread across the streets. The droids barged through the wide glass doors of a bank. The soldiers marched forward and aimed their mechanical swords forward. The swords fired a volley of armor-piercing bullets that tore through the bank as tellers and customers ran in panic and dove for cover.

Glass and wood splintered as the droids moved towards the bank vault.

Down the street, a group of droids marched into a jewelry store and used the handles of their weapons to shatter display cases. The droids gathered all the jewels and gems they could.

Dorunero, Lira, and Gien walked along the streets as Zenitto raided everything in site. The trio was not used to such blatantly obvious, destructive crime sprees. They had almost forgotten how much they enjoyed it.

A squad of five police cars and a SWAT van swerved to a stop on the streets. Cops dressed in heavy body armor piled out of their vehicles and aimed their weapons at the droid.

"Open fire!" one of the officers shouted.

Their guns unloaded clip after clip of bullets that slammed harmlessly against the droids, sparking on impact. The droids returned fire, their bullets puncturing armor, shattering bone and piercing flesh. One of the car's gas tanks exploded with a sphere of flame, the shockwave blasting several cops backward.

Dorunero smiled with amusement as the droids marched on.

* * *

The jogger sat on the shore as Damien made sure the teen's hands were still tied securely behind the back. Jenn was standing over him, her eyes staring down like daggers.

"No, really," he said again, his voice filled with frustration. "My name is Wes. I have no idea what you're talking about. Now untie me. I've had enough crazy for the day."

"We're not finished yet," Jenn said.

Sion tilted his head as he looked at Wes. The ranger walked over to Damien, who was standing behind Wes with his arms crossed over his chest. Sion looked to Damien. "I think he's telling the truth."

Damien scoffed. "We believed Lira was Alex too."

Takku suddenly hovered up from the wreckage, startling Wes. "What is that?"

Jenn did not bother answering him. He had already drawn the last of her patience.

The owl hung in midair above them. "I have used this century's communications network…" The droid projected an image of the crime boss and his junk droids ravaging the city. "Dorunero has arrived at this time too."

Wes knitted his brow as he watched the images. "Who are you people? I deserve an explanation. Now."

Jenn watched in horror as the droids spread carnage across an entire city block. "There's nothing we can do…" she whispered.

Takku's eye sensors blinked as he switched off his projection and swooped down towards the wreckage. The owl-shaped droid recovered a yellow suitcase made of a strange metal. The droid wrapped its talons around the suitcase and lifted it from the ground while floating back over towards Wes and the rangers.

"Here!" Takku called to them as he carried the case. "The Chrono Morphers are here!"

The droid dropped the case against the ground. The case flipped open upon landing, and five braces were inside. "You need to activate all five at the same time to unlock them."

Jenn acted without hesitation and gathered the morphers from the case. She handed a morpher to Damien, Lucas, and Sion. She looked down at Wes, still bound and tied. He had put up a good fight, considering he was a teenage civilian. And he clearly wasn't Lira since she was in the city's financial district.

"Untie him," she said.

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Him? We can't use some 21th century guy."

"Untie him," Jenn said again. She did not have time for debate. Dorunero had to be stopped. "It's our only chance."

Damien untied Wes. The teen sprang to his feet and rubbed his injured wrists. Jenn extended a morpher to him. "Help us," she said. "We have to stop Dorunero and send him back where he belongs."

"What?" Wes asked, knitting his brow with confusion.

Jenn grabbed Wes's right and placed the morpher in his palm. "There's no time to explain. You have to use this morpher and fight with us, or Dorunero will destroy your whole city and alter time."

Wes shook his head, his mind clouded with confusion. "But I don't-"

Jenn slapped the morpher onto Wes's left wrist. A band of blue energy lashed from the morpher and wrapped around his wrist before solidifying into a metallic band. "You're going to help us save the city. That's all you need to know for know."

Wes reluctantly nodded, rubbing his right hand along his wrist brace.

"Good," Jenn said as her own morpher attached. She slapped her brace's activation panel. "Chrono trigger," she spoke into the brace.

The others did the same. Wes hesitated before pressing his own morpher's activation panel. "Chrono trigger…"

A grid of digital energy swirled around him as a skin-tight virtual suit wrapped around his body. He felt the urge to jump and did as lines of blue energy slid across his body, covering him in a suit of Red Ranger armor.

Energy dissipated as Time Red landed back on the shore, the other Rangers in similar suits of armor. Time Red looked over his own suit in shock as excitement and adrenaline flooded his body.

"This is incredible," he practically shouted.

Damien looked over his Time Yellow armor in similar shock, as Sion and Lucas experienced morphing for the first time too, into Time Green and Time Blue respectively.

"Takku," Time Pink said. "We have to get to the city. Now."

The droid looked down towards the case at a small blaster-type device. "Time Flier, launch!"

The blaster hovered high into the air as it started to expand. The device transformed into a glider called the Time Flier.

Time Pink grabbed Time Red by the arm and leapt into the air, dragging the new Red Ranger with her. They landed on the flier as Time Red struggled to keep his balance. The other three Rangers landed on the Flier as it shot forward towards the city.

Time Red smiled beneath his helmet as the velocity nearly knocked him from the Flier. What a rush…

* * *

Dorunero, Lira, and Gien continued to stalk down the city streets as their junk droids looted and vandalized. It was a good time to be alive.

Until a whine cut through the air above. The villains looked up to see the Time Flier pass by. The Flier fired lances of blue energy that exploded against a group of droids, tearing them apart and stopping the criminals' advance.

Lira narrowed her brow as she stared at the Flier. "They are supposed to be dead."

The five Rangers leapt from the Flier. They fell through the air and landed on their feet with their backs towards the villains. The Rangers each snapped around the face the criminals.

Time Pink extended her badge and took a step closer to the villains. "Dorunero…you're under arrest for breaking the Temporal Accords."

Dorunero waved the comment aside and looked to his droids. "Zenitto."

The droids opened fire with a massive barrage of bullets. The Rangers from the future used their powers to dodge the bullets, moving in blurs of motion.

Time Red was not trained. The bullets exploded against his armor with bursts of spark, knocking the Red Ranger onto the ground.

The Rangers regrouped around Time Red as the droids lowered their weapons and charged forward to attack.

"Get up," Time Pink said to Time Red. "Your armor will protect you."

The Red Ranger smiled beneath his helmet. "You mean I'm invincible?"

"Hardly," Time Pink said as the battle started.

Time Red grabbed droid by the arm and flipped the grunt over his shoulder. The Red Ranger sidestepped and slammed a sidekick against the soldier's faceplate, shattering its round visor beneath his heel.

A Zenitto closed in behind Time Red. The Red ranger reached his arm back, slamming his elbow against the drone's faceplate.

Time Green lured a group of Zenitto towards a pair of parked cars. He flipped a car door open, slamming it against the soldiers behind him as he snapped a sidekick against a soldier in front of him.

Time Green flipped another door open to block the soldiers in front of him. The Green Ranger leapt feet-first through the door window behind him, crashing through glass and slamming a double kick against a soldier's chest.

Time Yellow slammed against group of soldiers with a flurry of punches. The Yellow Ranger's natural strength was enhanced by his powers, making him stronger than steel.

The Yellow Ranger slammed a punch that punctured through a soldier's chest and ripped through its back with a massive explosion.

Time Blue dashed through a group of droids. He launched a series of spin kicks that smashed the soldiers aside.

Time Pink moved forward with deadly efficiency and force. She slammed a roundkick against a droid's chest and chopped a knifehand blow against the back of the grunt's neck.

A droid swung its saber towards the Pink Ranger's head. She used her arm to block the blow and slammed a kick upside the droid's head.

Takku hovered over the battle scene. "Rangers, activate your Chrono Trigger's weapon display to access your arsenal."

"Chrono Trigger…" Time Red said as he pressed down on his brace. Twin swords shaped like the hands of a clock appeared on his hands. "Vector Sabers!"

Time Blue connected the ends of his twin swords to form a blade staff.

Time Pink armed the two swords as well, grabbing the handles tight.

"Vol Pulsar!" Time Green shouted. He armed a massive blaster he had to hold with two hands.

"Vol Vulcan!" Time Yellow shouted. He armed a double-barreled version of the same blaster weapon.

The Rangers dashed forward and slammed against the droids with even stronger force.

Time Yellow dashed forward while swinging his weapon left and right. The blaster fired rapid-volley bursts of yellow energy that exploded through droids with massive blasts of spark.

Time Green dashed forward and leapt onto a wall. He gained enough footing to dash across the wall for a few feet while firing jade energy pulses that tore through the droids below.

Time Blue dashed through a group of droids with a blur of motion. He used his blade staff to cut through three soldiers while spinning the weapon, and slammed a spin kick across another grunt's head.

Time Red moved through a group of droids while parrying blows and striking through metal. He blocked a droid's sword and ran his own blade through the grunt's arm, severing its hand.

Time Pink charged towards Don Dorunero with her blades held outward. The crime boss slowly lit a cigar.

Gien stepped forward and extended his robotic arm, fingers acting like barrels and blasting rounds of vibro-bullets against the Ranger's armor with a burst of spark. She rolled into a crouched position as Lira charged forward to attack.

Time Pink extended her saber and fired two blades of pink energy. The blades exploded against Lira and Gien, knocking the villains backward.

The Rangers regrouped.

Gien and Lira rose to their feet and stood at the side of their leader. Time Pink extended her sword as the five Ranger slowly walked towards the criminals. "Give up, Dorunero. "It's over."

"For today, perhaps," the crime boss said. He took another puff of his cigar. "But just for today. I am a patient one. Building a criminal empire does not happen over night."

The criminals activated braces around their wrists. Golden energy shimmered around them as they teleported away.

"No!" Time Pink shouted. "They _got_ away…"

Time Red dropped to the ground and sat cross legged as he sighed. "So…let's try this one more time. Who are you people?"

Time Blue walked to Time Pink. "I suppose we should tell him," he said quietly.

**To be continued…**


	2. Footsteps

**Footsteps**

Dorunero took another puff from his cigar. He stood at the jail tower's viewport while looking out at the dense woods that surrounded them. "We came here to escape the 31st century…but this wretched place is even worse."

"Don't worry…" Gien walked along the cryogenic suspension storage wall, where dozens of aliens, mutants and cyborgs were held prisoner. "We have a formidable base. Well supplied. Well hidden."

Lira ignored the robot. "Dorunero…we cannot just sit here. Let's find the Rangers and kill them."

Dorunero took another puff from his cigar as he continued to look out the viewport. "We are not mindless monsters, Lira. First…we need solid fiscal support. Then we can enter the economic and criminal elements of the city, gain influence, and use that influence to expand worldwide. If the Rangers happen to get in our way in the process, then they will die."

* * *

Wes and the other rangers sat in an indent at the base of an abandoned cement building. Pillars of concrete supported the side of the building above, keeping it from falling and crushing the rangers.

They had just finished telling Wes their story.

Wes raised his eyebrows. "You're from the 31st century? The future? And those monsters were from the future?"

"They weren't monsters," Jenn said, her arms crossed over her chest. "They're criminals."

"Oh, well that's okay then," Wes said sarcastically.

"Look," Jenn said, "we needed a fifth person. We didn't have time to go scouting. You helped us and now you're done."

Jenn grabbed Wes's wrist and pulled the Chrono Morpher off.

"Hey," Wes protested.

"We only needed you to unlock the rest of our morphers," Jenn said again. "Now you're done. Go."

"Oh, come on," Wes said. "This is a lot to take in…but that doesn't mean it wasn't fun."

Jenn narrowed her eyes. "Fun?"

The others winced. They knew what was coming.

"This is not fun," Jenn said firmly. "People died in that attack. Dorunero's organization has killed thousands of people. Corrupted countless lives. This is not a game. We are fighting to stop him. We are fighting for our time's survival. Have you ever had to fight for anything?"

Wes stood quietly, not knowing what to say.

"Just leave," Jenn said as she turned away from him. "And forget you saw anything."

* * *

Gien used the three-pronged claw that was his right hand to open the cryogenic freezer closet. His hand scanned past dozens of frozen meta-level criminals, mutants, and aliens.

Lira narrowed her brow at the android. "What are you doing, robot?"

Gien laughed as he picked up a small containment unit. He carried the tube over to the cryogenic matrix. "We have an entire army of criminals. We should use them…"

The droid set the containment unit into the cryogenic matrix. The matrix sealed shut as Gien walked over to the matrix control station. Dorunero entered the room and watched as Gien activated the matrix.

The matrix filled with steam as twirling strands of energy twirled inside. Genetic material unraveled and reassembled. The prisoner returned to his normal size.

The matrix hissed open as the criminal stepped forward. The hunch-backed alien was covered with a light suit of dull gray armor His eyes were dull yellow, beneath a metal mask and helmet.

Gien introduced the criminal to Dorunero. "The bomber, Jeka!"

Dorunero stepped forward towards the criminal. The former prisoner declined his head in gratitude. "Thank you for your assistance."

Dorunero took a puff of his cigar. "I ask only one thing in return. Your service. To the Landaraz Family."

* * *

Jeka used back-mounted propulsion jets to streak across the city rooftops. The meta criminal placed translucent gemstones at various business buildings and corporate skyscrapers.

* * *

Wes walked into his father's mansion. The teen took off his jacket and handed it to the butler.

Wes's dad, Mr. Collins, barged from one of his rear office and walked towards his son. Mr. Collins knitted his brow. "Wesley, where were you? I told you I wanted you home four hours ago. Meeting with the Innacore executives was an important step for you."

Wes rolled his eyes and walked past his father. "Dad, I'm not in the mood for this right now."

"Wesley," Collins said firmly. "If you're going to take over my company someday, you need to start networking now."

Wes turned to face his father. "I don't _want_ to work for your company."

"Then what will you do?" Collins asked. "You're 18. It's time to start taking on some responsibilities with your life."

"I tried to," Wes said, "but you wouldn't let me."

"Tried to?" Collins said in disbelief. "By trying to start those ridiculous karate classes? No son of mine will sink so low. Next you'll be asking to clean grease traps at a drive-through restaurant. You're meant for better things."

"Quit trying to decide everything for me!" Wes said with frustration.

Collins shook his head and walked back towards his office. "I don't have time for this…"

Wes rolled his hands into fists.

* * *

A clock struck 7 a.m. the next morning. One of Jeka's bombs flashed blue and exploded with white-hot flame, destroying an entire skyscraper with the blink of an eye, with no damage to surrounding infrastructure.

The building was owned by Collins.

* * *

Wes walked down his staircase at home in his boxers and open robe. He heard his father on the telephone. "A what?" Mr. Collins said. "That's ridiculous…"

Collins turned on a big-screen television in the living room. Angel Grove reporter Lyn Holtkamp was covering the report. A local businessman was sitting next to her. He pulled a holographic data card from his pocket and activated it.

The message card showed a small holographic image of Jeka. The criminal was demanding $10 million from each local businessman in Angel Grove West's financial district. The villain threatened to blow up nearly half the district's buildings if the money was not delivered to him by noon at the docks.

Wes narrowed his eyes while listening.

* * *

SWAT vans and police pulled up to the docks. Officers piled up and aimed their weapons forward at the creature. Detective Park was among them.

"Take the suit off and drop to the ground!" Park shouted.

No one believed Jeka was a monster or creature. Monsters never gave ransom demands. They always focused on random acts of violence and terrorism.

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" the criminal asked.

A trigger-happy officer opened fire. The entire squad fired as bullets bounced harmlessly off of the criminal's armor. The villain laughed at the officers. Jeka fired pulse blasts from his shoulders that exploded around the cops, killing some and knocking others backward.

* * *

Collins walked towards his limo with a suitcase full of money in hand. Two bodyguards accompanied him. He was going to pay the creature's ransom and protect his real estate.

"Wait!" Wes called out as he ran towards his father.

"I don't have time for more nonsense," Collins said as he started to open the limo door.

"This isn't nonsense," Wes said as he grabbed the suitcase, his father still holding tightly to it. "I'll make you a deal. I take care of the ransom demands in a way that lets you keep your money, then you agree to let me go. If I can't…then I'll work for you willingly. 100 percent."

Collins looked at his son for a moment. The man had rarely seen such a look in Wes's eyes. Collins knew what his son was proposing was propitious. But the look in Wes's eyes…

Collins handed his son the suitcase.

"But sir," one of the bodyguards started to protest.

Wes had already turned and started running. He neglected to tell his father that failing would likely mean his death.

* * *

Takku spoke to the rangers. "You cannot return to the future; not until you apprehend Dorunero and his criminals. The timeline is already too much at risk. Catch Dorunero, and we can return home."

"It's not that easy," Jenn was quick to say. "What about the Temporal Axis?"

"It is stable for now," Takku said. The droid was able to trade basic communication messages with Time Force via a temporal transceiver. "If too much is altered, and the balance is broken, our time period will be destroyed."

Damien narrowed his brow. "You mean we'd never be able to get home? That's crazy."

Lucas leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. He shook his head. "I'd hate to get stuck here. Everything is so…savage."

"We _won't_ get stuck," Damien said firmly. "We'll drag Dorunero back to our time by his fish tail if we have to."

Sion nodded, his eyes glimmering with hope. "This is what we were trained for."

Lucas shook his head. "There's only four of us."

"Five," a voice came from behind them. They turned to see Wes walking towards them with a briefcase in hand. He had been eavesdropping. Wes looked to Jenn and walked towards her. "You're right…I've never had to fight for anything in my life. Ever. But now…now I have something to fight for. Let's fight to save our tomorrow…"

Wes was expecting Jenn to scoff and roll her eyes. But she didn't. She recognized the look of determination in the teen's eyes, although she did not understand it. Jenn slowly stepped closer towards him and handed him his Chrono morpher.

Wes smiled and slapped the brace onto his wrist.

* * *

Jeka counted the money in various suitcases open in front of him. He was not impressed. The villain scoffed and aimed his arm at the police officers. "Where's the rest?" he asked impatiently and opened fire. A barrage of bullets exploded around the police officers, tearing through some of them.

"Stop!" Wes shouted as he ran towards the creature with a suitcase in hand. The teen walked towards the villain and extended the suitcase. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Here…here's the rest of your payment."

The villain snatched the briefcase and set it on the ground next to the others. Jeka leaned his foot onto the briefcase and pulled out a small disk from his armor.

"Deactivate the bombs," Wes said.

Jeka laughed. "That wouldn't be any fun would it. How about I detonate them instead?" the villain started to move his hand towards the bomb activation button on the disk.

"Wait!" Wes said as he extended his hand towards the villain. "I wouldn't do that if I were you…all you'll do is blow yourself up."

Jeka looked to the teen. "What are you talking about, Terran?"

"Check the suitcase," Wes said.

Jeka crouched down and opened the suitcase. Dozens of his crystal bombs were inside. "My bombs?!"

"You didn't exactly make them hard to find," Wes said as the other rangers stepped forward from behind the nearby crates. Takku hovered down from the air and landed nearby. The droid had managed to collect all the bombs.

"Impossible!" the creature growled. "You're only human."

Jenn armed her Chrono Morpher. "Ready…"

"Ready," the others said as they crossed their arms over their chest and armed their morphers.

"Chrono…" they swung their arms outward. "Trigger!" they shouted while swinging their arms back in and slapping their braces' activation panels. Streams of data swirled around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms, their backs towards the villain.

The five Rangers snapped around to face the villain while shouting their names.

"Time Red!"

"Blue!"

"Green"

"Yellow!"

"Pink!"

They thrust their badges forward. "Time Ranger!"

Time Pink slowly stepped towards the monster while extending her badge. "Jeka…you're under arrest for breaking the Temporal Accords…"

"Damn you…" Jeka growled softly as he trembled with rage. "Damn you!"

The Time Rangers charged forward to attack. Time Blue leapt forward through the air and angled his decent towards the villain while pulling back a punch. Jeka opened fire with gauntlet cannons that exploded against the Blue Ranger's chest with a burst of spark and knocked him from the air.

Time Blue crashed against the ground as the other regrouped around him.

Time Red shook his head. "Remind me to ask you later why you freeze your criminals _with _their weapons."

Jeka opened fire with a wide volley of high-yield bullets that exploded against the Rangers' armor and knocked them to the ground. The villain fired a burst of energy from his jet pack and shot towards the Rangers as Time Red slowly climbed to his feet.

Jeka slammed his body against the Red Ranger while continuing to fly forward, slamming the Ranger through various crates and boxes that splintered on impact.

"Chrono Trigger!" Time Red shouted. Twin Vector Sabers appeared in his hand. The Red Ranger started chopping the blades against the villain's head.

Jeka's grip on Time Red released, and the Red Ranger kicked away from the villain while flipping backward. Time Red landed his feet against the side of the building and pushed off, bouncing back towards the villain with Vector Sabers held forward in an 'x' pattern.

The blades thrashed against Jeka and knocked the criminal off his feet.

Time Red sprang towards Jeka as the villain rose to his feet.

"Vector Red!" he shouted as the blades energized with crimson energy. "Chrono Strike!" Time Red held his blades at a 12 o' clock and 3 o' clock position and slashed the weapons across the criminal's armor with streaks of power. The blades sparked on impact and knocked the villain backward.

The cryogenic patch on the criminal was ripped open from the attack, exposing his DNA. The exposed patch caused a chain reaction in the criminal that created the opposite effect of what the patches were intended to do. Jeka's body expanded and grew giant.

The Rangers stepped backward while looking up at the villain with shock. Takku hovered nearby and used his temporal transceiver to send a message to the future. "Providus Base…we need the 3-D system…" There was no answer. "Time Force Headquarters…activate the 3-D system."

No answer.

Jeka used his jet back to hover towards the city streets and opened fire with his gauntlet cannons.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 3006AD**_

Ornate towers of steel and technology extended into the orange-tinted city skies as hover cars flew through the air. Some towers held small parks of freshly cut green grass, while others served as business observatories.

In the north section of the city sat a circular command complex with several rectangular buildings webbing out from the main compound. A yellow and black giant-sized robo stomped around the perimeter of the compound near a tall gate shaped like an upside down 'V.' A runway connected the gate to the complex.

A lone figure sat in the observatory that looked out upon the runway. He sat in the dimly-lit control chamber with a curved holographic control panel spread out in front of him. The stranger hesitated. Then he answered Takku's call.

"3-D system, stand by for launch," he said, answering Takku and activating the 3-D system at the same time.

A platform of five Time Jets surfaced at the end of the runway. The platform rotated and lined the red-trimmed jet into position.

The Providus zord swung its massive fist towards the Time Jet. The fist smashed against the Time Jet and throttled the vessel forward. The Time Jet accelerated closer to the Time Gate and disappeared through the gate's portal, leaving a trail of energy vapor in its wake.

One-by-one, Providus slammed the Time Jets through the Gate. The five zords flew in tight formation and throttled backward through the time stream.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 2006AD**_

"The Time Jets are on their way!" Takku shouted to the others.

A wormhole opened in the sky, and the five zords streaked through, swooping down into the atmosphere.

"Time Flier," Time Pink commanded as the Time Flier hovered past their location.

The Time Rangers leapt onto the Flier. The Flier carried them over their five Time Jets, traveling at frightful speeds. Thankful he was not afraid of heights or prone to airsickness, Time Red and the others jumped off the Time Flier and fell into their cockpits.

Time Red slammed against his chair hard and winced. Takku uploaded data onto the visors of Time Red and the others, letting them know how to fight with the Time Jets.

"3-D Formation…" Time Red commanded as he grasped control levers to his side. "Time Robo, Beta!"

The Time Jets stayed in tight formation and flew across the streets. Each zord started to reassemble and combine into a giant, blue-armored zord. The 3-D formation completed as the Rangers activated their zord: the Time-Force Megazord, Mode Blue.

The Rangers stood in the zord's central cockpit. Five tall rods extended from the floor to the Rangers' waist levels. Takku uploaded information onto the Rangers' visors about how to use the Control Lancers to operate the Megazord. The Time Rangers reached forward and grabbed the Lancers.

"Flier Magnum," Time Red commanded. The Time Flier transformed into a blaster that the Megazord gripped in its hand.

The Time-Force Megazord streaked downward towards the hovering villain while blasting lances of blue-colored energy that exploded against the criminal's armor. The Time Robo flew swung its feet down and slammed kicks against the criminal, pushing the villain backward through midair.

The criminal opened fire with its wrist gauntlets at near-point-blank range. The blasts exploded against the Megazord and sent the robo flying out if control through midair.

The Megazord fired its thrusters and stabilized before thrusting back towards the villain with a burst of speed. The Time-Force Megazord dodged enemy blasts while firing rapid-speed shots of blue energy darts that exploded against the villain.

Jeka crashed to the ground and started skidding backward across the streets. Takku uploaded more data to Time Red's visor.

"Changing formation," Time Red commanded. "Time Robo, Alpha!"

The Megazord disassembled and started to change shape into different formations. The Time Jets merged into a new form: Time-Force Megazord, Mode Red. The red-armored Megazord landed on the streets and faced off with the criminal.

"Time-Force Megazord Saber!" Time Red commanded. A worm hole opened in the Megazord's chest. A saber speared forward from the portal, and the Megazord wrapped his hand around the saber's handle.

Jeka lifted a fallen building top and hurled it at the Rangers. The Time Rangers activated their zord's shield. The building was pulverized when it slammed against the shield.

"Wes," Time Pink said. "Final strike…"

Time Red nodded as the appropriate data flashed across his visor. He pulled the Control Lancer free from the ground. The lancer flashed with energy and formed a miniature replica of the zord's saber.

Time Red thrust the saber forward as the Megazord copied his movements. Two shorter blades opened from the Megazord saber like the hands of the clock, forming 90 degree angles with the sword.

"Time-Force Megazord Saber!" Time Red shouted. "Final Strike!"

The zord's saber energized and swung horizontally. The blade slashed through the monster, but did not kill it. The attack caused a chain reaction within the creature that caused the insides of his body to freeze. The criminal fell backwards, and a large explosion surrounded the villain as he shrunk down to less than a foot tall, and entered a state of cryogenic suspension.

The Time Rangers leapt down to the streets below. Time Pink held a badge over the criminal. The badge flashed with golden light and formed a transparent cylinder that wrapped around the creature.

* * *

Mr. Collins walked into his office and spotted his briefcase on the desk. He hesitated, then slowly walked over to the briefcase. He unlatched the briefcase and opened it. All his money was safe inside, along with a note.

The note was hand written with a simple message: "I win."

**To be continued…**


	3. First Week on the Job

**First Week on the Job**

_**From the Associated Press**_

_**Published in 2006**_

_Armed with a tri-barreled plasma rifle, a man dressed in body armor locked employees and customers in a vault after robbing an Angel Grove bank. _

_Police have labeled such attackers as Meta-Criminals, a term describing their enhanced strength and special abilities. Investigators believe the Meta Criminals are from the same terrorist group that started attacking the city in 2001._

_The Rangers have interfered with each attempt to learn more about the enhanced criminals, Angel Grove Assistant Police Chief Rick McQueary said. _

"_It was bad enough when they rampaged through the streets," McQueary said. "Now they're everywhere, stealing cars, dealing, kidnapping, putting lives on the line everywhere."_

_The Rangers complicate matters by fighting Meta Criminals with no authority and escalating every situation into an all-out conflict, he said._

**DAY ONE: MOVING IN**

A car thief. Not a villain bent on global domination. Not a demon wanting to wipe out mankind. A car thief. The face of evil in Angel Grove had changed.

The criminal's name was Kiisu. His body was v-shaped and capped off like a mushroom. His white body had a sky-blue hue to it. Segmented tentacles hung from his elbows, and his face was nothing but a thick, v-shaped compound eye.

The villain leapt onto the roof of a car and wrapped his tentacles through the driver-side and passenger-side windows. The tentacles released bursts of spark as they hotwired the car and triggered the ignition.

The sleek red sports car tore through the city streets, cutting around corners and plowing through traffic.

* * *

Wes led the other rangers to a subdivision of neighborhood businesses in the northern part of the city. The buildings were packed together and old but had the advantage of close access to the massive city's subway and monorail systems.

Damien looked to Jenn. "I think we were better off in the alley."

Wes overheard and looked back to them, a charming smile across his face. "Come on, guys. Trust me. You're going to love this…"

He led them towards the back of a three-story building, where enough parking spots were available for ten vehicles. A staircase led up to a door on the building's second level.

"This whole place is vacated," Wes explained as he started walking up the steps, each step squeaking as the rangers walked over it.

"I can see why," Damien said.

They entered a narrow hallway, which had one door to their left. They entered the door and stepped into a wide, empty white room. "Here it is," Wes said with a smile.

Sion's eyes opened wide. "This is great."

"Sion," Wes said as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "That's why you're my favorite."

"There's nothing here," Lucas said.

"Not yet," Wes said. "But there will be. This will be our office. There are two adjoining rooms we can use for bedrooms."

Jenn arced her eyebrow. "Office?"

"Well, yeah," Wes said. "We'll have to work to make money, unless you plan to forage for food. Takku helped me think of jobs for all of your based on your skills."

Wes pulled four papers out from a pocket on the inside of his over-shirt. He handed one to Sion. "I figured you could do computer repair, software design, that kind of thing."

Sion's face lit up.

"Did you really have to right these down?" Damien asked.

"Yes," Wes said as he handed Damien a sheet of paper. "I figured you could run a women's self-defense class."

Damien smiled. "Well…this whole idea suddenly seems a whole lot better."

"Lucas," Wes said as he handed Lucas a sheet. "You can be a driver, chauffer, and that type of thing. I know a great place to get some junk cars we can spruce up for you."

Lucas took the paper. He was less than enthusiastic.

"Jenn," Wes said as he handed her a paper. "You can be an investigator…and other things."

She took the paper from him.

"I'll be starting a martial arts class," Wes said.

Jenn sighed and shook her head, reluctantly accepting the fact that the empty white room would have to be their base and home until Dorunero and his criminals were all captured. "Alright, if we're going to make this work we need better security…"

Jenn looked to Sion. "Sion, bring whatever you salvaged from the Time Ship in here. Start setting up a security perimeter. Sensor packages, emergency force fields, dampening fields, the works. We can't let Dorunero find us, but if he does, we have to be prepared. Once you get everything set up, hack into the planet's orbital satellites."

She looked to the rest of the rangers. "The rest of you have your…'jobs'…so take whatever you need." She looked to Wes. "I'm assuming you have some money for them?"

"Yeah," Wes said. "It's the benefit of having rich grandparents who are generous during birthdays."

* * *

A couple hours passed. Lucas was behind the wheel of an old, beat up sports car from the mid 1990's. He never realized how slowly non-hover traffic moved.

He was on a supposed Interstate that wrapped around the central core of Angel Grove, providing easy access to each side of the city. In three lanes of traffic, the cars barely moved past 70 mph.

He wove in an out of traffic was zooming past cars, tires screeching across pavement. A lopsided grin curled up on his face.

Up ahead, Lucas noticed an armored truck barreling through traffic, knocking over any car or van that got in its way. The armored truck was used to deliver mass sums of money.

Lucas immediately noticed a meta-level criminal on top of the truck. He shifted gears and slammed the gas pedal to the floor.

The ranger swerved in and out of traffic while moving in towards the truck. Cars honked and smashed against each other, shattering glass and broken bumpers across the pavement.

It wasn't long before police sirens sounded from behind. Lucas cursed beneath his breath.

* * *

Lira had set up a television within the tower. She had it tuned into helicopter footage of the high-speed chase.

"A Time Ranger is following Kiisu," Lira said with peaked interest, her eyes glued to the screen.

Dorunero was browsing through rows of prisoners while puffing his cigar. "It's not a Time Ranger, Lira."

"It is," she said as she leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand.

"Lira…" Dorunero took a puff from his cigar. "Time Rangers do not drive old sports cars."

"This one does," she said.

* * *

The chase moved the downtown area of Angel Grove West. Lucas stayed on the tail of the stolen truck, while a squad of police cars followed them both.

The armored truck turned a busy street corner too sharply, and the vehicle tipped onto its side while skidding across the pavement. The villain was thrown from the roof of the car and tumbled across the road.

Lucas skid his car to a halt and hopped out. Police cars parked in formation to barricade the road. They opened their car doors and stood behind them while aiming their weapons forward. "Freeze!"

One of the officers shouted.

Lucas stood with his back towards the officer and faced the criminal. The villain slowly climbed back to his feet.

Lucas armed his morpher. "Chrono, Trigger!" He slapped his brace's activation panel. Strands of data energy circled around him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

Time Blue armed his double-bladed saber and charged forward to attack.

The villain whipped two tentacles towards the Rangers, thrashing the Blue Ranger across the chest with a burst of spark.

"Fire!" the officers shouted.

They opened fire with bullets that exploded harmlessly against the criminal and Rangers' armor.

The criminal tossed a group of golden pellets from his hand. The pellets rolled across the ground and transformed into a group of junk droids that stood upright while arming short sabers. The drones moved towards the cops and attacked.

Explosions suddenly sparked across the grunts, knocking them back. Time Blue looked up to see the other four Rangers hop down from the Time Flier. They landed as the Rangers regrouped.

Time Pink thrust her badge forward and stepped closer to the criminal. "Kiisu. You're under arrest for breaking the Temporal Accords."

Kiisu scoffed and signaled the soldiers forward to attack. Time Blue armed a double-blades Vector Saber, Time Red armed his twin Vector Sabers, and the other Rangers activated their Vol cannons.

Time Red dashed past a group of junk droids with his saber whirling. He slashed through grunts, his blades tearing apart metal and thrashing through circuitry. The Red Ranger slammed a sidekick against a grunt's chest and looked to his left while parrying a blow. Time Red swung his blades upward, tearing through the soldier as he turned to his right, thrashing his blades across another soldier's body.

Time Red ran his finger across one of his blades, energizing the weapon with red energy. The Red Ranger spun while triggering his sword, sending an energy blade blast circling around the soldier like a helicopter blade, ripping the grunts apart.

Nearby, Time Yellow stalked forward while swinging his weapon left and right, blasting back soldiers with bursts of yellow energy before they could even come close.

Meanwhile, Time Blue highblocked a soldier's blow and twisted the sword downward. He twirled his double-bladed weapon upward while tearing through a droid's chest. The Blue Ranger moved to his left and swung left and right, twirling his weapon in a butterfly pattern that thrashed through the grunts.

Time Blue spun with a roundhouse kick that smashed across a soldier's head. He ran his fingers along the right part of his blade. The saber energized with blue power. Time Blue swung the weapon and triggered the sword, firing a blue energy blade that shot through a group of soldiers, spearing through them while puncturing through their mechanical bodies.

Kiisu whipped two lengthy tentacles forward. The tentacles wrapped tightly around Time Red and snapped him off his feet. The villain hurled the Red Ranger through the air and crashed him back against the streets.

The Red Ranger slowly rose back to his feet. But Kiisu sent volts of electric charges dancing down his tentacles and exploding against Time Red's armor with a massive burst of sparks.

Time Blue leapt forward and slashed his blade through the criminal's tentacles, cutting the Red Ranger free.

Time Red rose back to his feet. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," Time Blue said.

The criminal charged towards the Rangers.

"Let's double team 'im," Time Red said.

The two Rangers held their blades outward and activated their Chrono Triggers, using their power to spin like drills while circling the criminal, their sword thrashing across the villain like helicopter blades, sparking on impact and knocking the criminal backward.

Time Red and Time Blue leapt forward and energized their sabers. "Time Strike!" they shouted while thrashing their blades across the criminal in streaks of power, the blades sparking on impact and sending the villain crashing backward.

The Rangers regrouped as information flashed across their visors. Takku was sending them data on how to combine their Vol weapons into a bazooka weapon.

"Chrono Launcher," Time Red commanded.

The five Rangers combined their weapons into a bazooka. Time Green, Time Blue, Time Yellow, and Time Pin stood at the weapon's sides, while Time Red grasped the weapon from behind.

"Target…locked on," Time Red said as his visor zeroed in on the villain. "Chrono Launcher, fire!"

The bazooka shot an energy pulse that streaked towards the criminal. The blast was designed to explode against the criminal and shrink him while placing him in suspension. The pulse did explode against the criminal, but he ripped off his cryogenic patch before the blast could shrink him.

The villain's body expanded as a result, every cell growing giant.

Time Red activated his communicator. "Takku!"

"Yokai," Takku answered. The droid activated his temporal transceiver. "3-D system, stand by for launch!"

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 3006AD**_

A platform of five Time Jets surfaced at the end of the runway. The platform rotated and lined the red-trimmed jet into position with the Time Gate.

The Providus zord swung its massive fist towards the Time Jet. The fist smashed against the Time Jet and throttled the vessel forward. The Time Jet accelerated closer to the Time Gate, and disappeared through the gate, leaving a trail of energy vapor in its wake.

One-by-one, Providus slammed the Time Jets through the Gate. The five zords flew in tight formation and throttled backward through the time stream.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 2006AD**_

A wormhole opened in the sky and the five zords streaked through, swooping down into the atmosphere.

"Time Flier," Time Red commanded as the Time Flier hovered past their location.

The Time Rangers leapt onto the Flier. The Flier carried them over their five Time Jets, traveling at frightful speeds. Thankful he was not afraid of heights or prone to airsickness, Time Red and the others jumped off the Time Flier and fell into their cockpits.

"3-D Formation…" Time Red commanded as he grasped control levers to his side. "Time Robo, Alpha!"

The Time Jets stayed in tight formation and flew across the streets. Each zord started to reassemble and combine into a giant, red-armored zord. The 3-D formation completed as the Rangers activated their zord: the Time-Force Megazord, Mode Red.

The Rangers stood in the zord's central cockpit. Five tall rods extended from the floor to the Rangers' waist levels. Takku uploaded information onto the Rangers' visors about how to use the Control Lancers to operate the Megazord. The Time Rangers reached forward and grabbed the Lancers.

"Time-Force Megazord Saber!" Time Red commanded. A worm hole opened in the Megazord's chest. A saber speared forward from the portal, and the Megazord wrapped his hand around the saber's handle.

Time Red pulled the Control Lancer free from the ground. The lancer flashed with energy and formed a miniature replica of the zord's saber.

Time Red thrust the saber forward as the Megazord copied his movements. Two shorter blades opened from the Megazord saber like the hands of the clock, forming 90 degree angles with the sword.

"Time-Force Megazord Saber!" Time Red shouted. "Final Strike!"

The zord's saber energized and swung horizontally. The blade slashed through the criminal, but did not kill him. The attack caused a chain reaction within the creature that caused the insides of his body to freeze. The criminal fell backwards, and a large explosion surrounded the villain as he shrunk down to less than a foot tall, and entered a state of cryogenic suspension.

The Time Rangers leapt down to the streets below. Time Pink held a badge over the criminal. The badge flashed with golden light and formed a transparent cylinder that wrapped around the villain.

* * *

Night came. Lucas was standing outside alone while taking boxes from a recently purchased, rusty van. He was parked in the back of their building. Pain suddenly shot through his chest, and his heart started racing. He leaned against the van as his breathing became short and rapid.

Wes stepped outside just in time to see Lucas collapse. Wes darted down the steps and ran to his teammate's side.

"Lucas…" Wes said as he helped his friend to his feet. "What's wrong…"

Lucas shrugged Wes off. The racer leaned against the van and tried to catch his breath, clutching his chest. He shook his head. "It's nothing…"

"Nothing?" Wes said in disbelief. "You look like you're about ready to die."

Lucas shook his head. "Not for another year or so…"

Wes knitted his brow. "What?"

"Nothing," Lucas said as he managed to calm himself. "Just forget about this. And don't say anything to the others…"

"Lucas," Wes said, "you're freaking me out. Now what's going on?"

Lucas sighed with frustration and looked away from Wes. "I have a genetic disease. There's no cure, in my time or yours. I only have about a year before it kills me…"

* * *

_**From the Associated Press**_

_**Published in 2006**_

_**Taken from various news articles**_

_The same man is responsible for kidnapping seven children in Angel Grove South on Monday, according to police._

_The Angel Grove Police Department is searching for a man in his late 40s who appears homeless. The man reportedly asks children for help and leads them to city back streets where they disappear from sight. _

_Rumors that a Meta Criminal is responsible are unfounded, said David Park, a detective with Angel Grove police._

"_We can't let out imaginations jump to conclusions every time this happens," Park said. "We are treating this as we would any other kidnapping, and don't have time for monster theories."_

**DAY TWO: RANSOM**

Damien was not exactly having good look recruiting women for his self defense class. He stood in the center of an upper-street-level promenade while trying to pass out fliers that advertised his class.

He was rather picky about who he gave the fliers to.

Damien sighed with frustration as another potential customer passed him by. "Fine…be attacked…" He shook his head in disappointment. "I just don't understand women of this century."

"Damien," a voice called from behind him. He turned to see Sion walk towards him. The off-worlder had a bright grin on his face, as always. "You're right, they don't understand how strong they could be if you taught them."

Damien sighed and turned back to the crowds that walked past. "I'm a little busy now, Sion."

"I know," Sion said. "I came here to help."

He was bored with computers for the day. He had tried to help the other rangers with their various jobs for the day, but each had turned him down. And they were not exactly nice about it.

Sion looked to passersby, his face bright with excitement. "Damien is the best fighter ever," he said while trying to hand out fliers. Everyone walked past him without making eye contact, as if he was a homeless man begging for money.

Damien sighed with frustration and moved past Sion to a young woman.

Sion tilted his head and followed his teammate. "Damien…why are you only going after women?"

The woman turned and glared at Damien while quickening her pace.

Damien scoffed. He placed his arm around Sion and spoke quietly while leading him away from the crowds. "Look…I love everyone, I really do, but…Girls in this time didn't all know how to defend themselves, see. It doesn't matter who loves who. They need special attention."

Damien turned and walked back towards a young woman. She smiled as he greeted her.

"If that's true," Sion said, his eyes opened wide as he grabbed Damien by the sleeve. "Then I love you, Damien!"

The woman wrinkled her nose with disgust and took a few steps away.

"No, no," Damien said to her. "It's not like that. I'm not-"

The woman turned and walked off.

Damien scoffed and pushed Sion away. The young ranger slammed against the ground. Damien had not meant to push the younger ranger so hard. He walked over and helped Sion to his feet. "You have to go."

"That was a strong push," Sion said. "Damien…teach me how to fight like you."

"Fine," Damien said firmly. "But first you have to go home. You're really in the way. Go."

Sion's face dropped. "But Damien…"

Damien waved a hand dismissively and walked away.

* * *

Sion walked through the streets with his head hung low. None of his four teammates had needed him. He thought he finally had a group he could belong to, but apparently, he was wrong. He would always be alone. Always be an outsider.

Nearby, a pair of kids were playing a card game on a bench. A man watched the kids from an alley. The stranger had a heavy brown jacket that was as dirty as it was worn. His brown hair was disheveled, and his skin creased with wrinkles. The stranger grinned, a glimmer of lust in his eye.

He lifted three brown sacks into his arms and walked towards the boys. "Excuse me…could you help me carry my bags please? I'm afraid my back isn't as good as it used to be and-"

The kids grabbed their cards and started running. Well, the stranger thought, boys in 2006 aren't nearly as fearless as my time period.

Sion spotted the man and opened his eyes wide with excitement. He hurried over to the stranger. "I'll help you," he said with a smile. Finally, a chance to be needed.

Sion took the bags from the man and started walking off down the street.

The man grinned, a glimmer of evil shining in his eyes.

* * *

Various cardboard boxes still cluttered the rangers' office. The room was furniture with two desks for computers and a filing cabinet to store prisoner capsules.

"We need chairs," Wes said to himself. "How have we forgotten chairs?"

Wes' cell phone ran in his pocket. He was using his cell number as a temporary business number. "Hello?" he answered.

"I have someone who belongs to you," the voice on the other end of the line said. "Sion. You will deliver $5,000 if you want to see him back alive. You have one day. You will be contacted with further instructions. You contact the police, he dies."

* * *

The stranger tossed Sion onto the cold, concrete ground. He was in an apartment complex basement, lined with shelves. A few other children huddled in the corners.

Sion knitted his brow with confusion and looked up to the stranger. "What are you doing?"

The stranger smiled and leaned down while tilting Sion's head up by the chin. He leaned in close. "You really don't understand, do you? How precious. You see…you've been kidnapped. And if I don't see some money soon, you die."

The criminal stepped back and dropped his holographic disguise. The villain was a creature's whose flat face resembled a frog. From head to toe, he was covered in a red and white body suit trimmed with black. Each of his fingers were long and tubular.

* * *

The other rangers had regrouped in the office.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Wes asked. "We don't have that kind of money."

"You could ask your father," Lucas said.

Jenn shook her head. "Even if we did pay, there's no guarantee we would get Sion back."

Their communicators chimed. Jenn answered, and Sion's voice came through. The young ranger was whispering. "Guys…don't be mad. I'm sorry."

Damien narrowed his eyes and activated his communicator. "Sion," he practically shouted. "What did you think you were-"

Sion shushed him. "Please…keep your voice down. I can't let him know I'm a Ranger. That could Dorunero back to you guys and the office."

"Where are you?" Wes asked.

"Have Takku trace my signal," Sion said.

Sion hunched besides a shelf. The other children were looking at him with quizzical expressions on their faces.

"We're coming for you," he heard Jenn say through his communicator. "Just hang on."

The communication ended. Sion slid his brace back into his pocket to hide the device. He looked at the children, each had fear in their eyes. "Don't worry…help will get here soon."

* * *

Takku was connected to the computer terminal in the rangers' office. Wes was pacing back and forth.

"I don't understand…" he said. "How could he get kidnapped."

Takku spoke from next to the computer. "He barely understood the social structure of Earth in his own time. The past…your present…is even more foreign for him."

Wes knitted his brow. "Is he an alien?"

"We don't use that word," Damien said. "He's from the Hummard's Star System."

Jenn arced an eyebrow and turned to Takku. "Hummard's Star? Didn't that go nova a few years back?"

"Yes," Takku explained. "Sion's homeworld, Hummard IV, was destroyed in the shockwave. A few dozen groups of his people escaped in transport vessels. But the transport ships were destroyed by space pirates. Sion was the only survivor.

"Scientists in the Elan system discovered him in 2999. He was only one-year-old at the time," Circuit continued.

"Huh," Wes said. "That would only make him seven. How is that possible?"

"His people mature faster than most species, and yet their life spans are nearly five times as long," Takku explained. "Rogue Aloc scientists discovered Sion in an escape pod. For more than the first half of his life, he was raised in an isolated laboratory. Technicians studied his every move and thought. They were fascinated by Sion's innate intelligence and intellect. They hoped to eventually corrupt the boy and use him against the planet's government.

"Aloc's local SPD Ranger team infiltrated the scientists lab and freed Sion," Takku explained. "He was taken to Earth, where he was studied further. Studied further in isolation…"

Damien rolled his hands into fists. Guilt and anger welled up inside of him. Sion was just like a kid, Damien realized. He had abandoned a kid in a strange, unfamiliar city. He had left Sion alone, and now he was gone.

* * *

The villain opened the gate and slowly walked towards one of the boys. "You're mother is late…I'm afraid you are going to have to die."

Sion narrowed his eyes. He sprang forward and tackled against the criminal, holding the villain backward.

The ranger looked to the kids. "Run," he said.

The kids scrambled to their feet and ran off.

The villain slammed a punch against Sion's gut and knocked him backward.

* * *

The fight moved outside. Sion tumbled across an alley as the criminal stalked towards him. His body was bruised and battered. Green blood trickled down his face. He reached into his pocket for his morpher, but hesitated.

He could not risk the villain connecting the Rangers to his friends.

The criminal kicked Sion while he was down. The villain leaned over and swung a punch down towards the ranger's skull.

A fist appeared as if from nowhere and knocked the criminal away. It was Damien. He and the others had arrived at the scene.

Damien leaned down and helped Sion sit up. "Sion…why didn't you morph?"

Sion shook his head. "I didn't want to make any more trouble for you…Damien…"

Guilt choked him. Damien narrowed his eyes and helped Sion to his feet. "Idiot…getting yourself killed…that will make trouble."

Wes nodded. "You're our friend."

Jenn armed her morpher. "Fight with us."

Sion nodded and strapped on his morpher.

"Chrono, Trigger!" They slapped their braces' activation panels. Streams of data swirled around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms, their backs towards the villain when they landed.

The five Rangers snapped around to face the villain while shouting their names.

"Time Red!"

"Blue!"

"Green"

"Yellow!"

"Pink!"

They thrust their badges forward. "Time Ranger!"

"You!" Time Yellow shouted, his badge still extended as he and the others took a few steps forward. "You're under arrest for breaking the Temporal Accords. Now it's judgment time."

The criminal fired a particle burst with his right eye patch. The blast exploded around the Rangers with a burst of spark as they dove and rolled for cover.

They rose back to their feet as Time Red started forward to attack, but Time Yellow stopped him. "Don't…" the Yellow Ranger said. "He's mine."

Time Yellow looked to Time Green. "You wanted me to teach you how to fight? Pay attention…"

Time Yellow slowly stalked towards the villain. The criminal charged forward and attacked with a surprising amount of strength and speed. The Yellow Ranger blocked a kick and ducked under a hook punch.

Time Yellow rose back to full height and swung the back of his fist towards the villain's face, but the criminal knocked the Yellow Ranger's arm away and slammed a kick against his chest. The villain followed with a hook punch across the helmet.

Time Yellow crashed backward.

"Not bad…" the Yellow Ranger said as he climbed to his feet. "But you waste too many movements."

The criminal spun forward while thrashing his fingers across the Ranger's armor, sparking on impact.

Time Yellow grabbed the villain's arm and kicked its legs out while twirling the villain around. The Yellow Ranger released his grasp and sent the kidnapper flying through the air. The villain smashed onto the hood of a car, shattering the windshield.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" Time Yellow said as he stalked towards the villain.

The criminal slowly climbed back to his feet.

Time Yellow leaned forward and slammed a combination of powerful punches against the villain. Jab, cross, jab cross, each blow sparking on impact.

The Yellow Ranger grabbed the villain by the arm and lifted him overhead before flipping him to the ground.

The criminal armed a double-edged blade and pounced forward to attack the Yellow Ranger. The villain swung his blade down towards Time Yellow's head.

Time Green pounced forward and blocked the blow with his left Vector Saber. He sidekicked the criminal backward and thrashed his right saber across the villain's body, blade sparking on impact. The Green Ranger chopped both blades across the villain with a massive burst of spark that knocked the criminal backward.

Time Yellow stepped forward, his back to Time Green, and extended his rams. "Finish him."

Time Green leapt onto Time Yellow's shoulders and pushed off, angling his descent towards the criminal while holding his two sabers in a noon and 9 position.

"Time Strike!" He swung the blades through streaks of green power that exploded against the villain, sending the criminal crashing backward and skidding across the ground and secondary explosions sparkled across his body.

The Rangers regrouped as the criminal stumbled to his feet.

"Chrono Launcher," Time Red commanded.

The five Rangers combined their weapons into a bazooka. Time Green, Time Blue, Time Yellow, and Time Pin stood at the weapon's sides, while Time Red grasped the weapon from behind.

"Target…locked on," Time Red said as his visor zeroed in on the villain. "Chrono Launcher, fire!"

The bazooka shot an energy pulse that streaked towards the criminal. The blast exploded against the criminal, causing a chain reaction that shrank the villain and placed him in suspension.

* * *

The rangers returned to the office. Damien was dressing up Sion's wounds. The young ranger smiled as he looked at the bandage wrapped around his arm. "You're good at that, Damien."

"I'm a pro fighter," Damien said. "I've fixed up worse than this before."

Wes looked at Sion's green blood and smiled with amazement. "An alien…I can't believe I didn't know."

"I told you," Damien said firmly. "Don't say 'alien.'"

Sion looked up to Wes. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"It's alright," Wes said as he shuffled the ranger's hair. "Your hair…I always thought you were dying it."

"I am," Sion said, his eyes opened wide. "I've been dying it since I was three. I thought it would look cool…so does it?"

"Sure," Wes said. "For an alien."

"Hey," Damien said as he got to his feet and stalked after Wes. Wes laughed and ran towards the hall.

Sion smiled brightly and followed. "Wes! Damien! Where are you going?"

* * *

_**From the Associated Press**_

_**Published in 2006**_

_**Taken from various news articles**_

_About 500 residents died in a riot Tuesday night in Angel's Square._

_The square remained closed early Wednesday as investigators at the scene tried to determine what caused the incident, which police are calling the Angel's Massacre. _

**DAY THREE: MEDICAL COVERAGE**

The office was finally set up.

A coffee table and two loveseats were set up in an L-shaped formation in an office corner. The couches faced a high-definition television set.

The congruent corner still had a table with two computers set up as Sion's work station. He had various computer chips and pieces of electrical equipment spread out across a table that sat besides the computer monitor.

Cabinets lined the opposite wall. Five of the cabinets were for each ranger. The heavily-locked cabinet held captured prisoners. A small, circular table sat in the middle of the floor. Takku was perched on a hat rack nearby.

The television was showing a horrifying piece of news. A group of dead bodies had littered the streets at dawn. Police had no idea how they ended up there.

"I remember something like in our time," Jenn said as she watched the TV with her arms crossed. She looked to Takku. "Takku…access your data base."

Takku flew to his perch next to the computer and plugged in. He uploaded his data onto the computer. "In 2975," Takku explained. "The same circumstances happened for a straight week. Every morning at dawn, piles of dead had lined the streets. The man responsible…"

Takku loaded the prisoner file onto the computer. "Prisoner Number SC-08M. Gowagen. He was a medical doctor on Lunar Colony Armstrong. He developed an affinity for watching people die."

"So it was him?" Damien asked. "He killed all those people?"

"He did something far worse," Takku explained. "He uses a device to gain control of their minds, and he has them slaughter each other."

Jenn narrowed her eyes. "We have to find him before nightfall."

* * *

A news photographer named Emily crouched behind bushed on a hill. She looked down to an underpass that led into Angel's Square. The underpass was guarded by two patrol cars and three police officers.

She bit her lower lip and narrowed her brow, trying to think of a way inside. Her editor needed pictures, and she was going to deliver. Photographs of strange happenings in the city were a specialty of hers.

She had a knack for finding trouble and getting it on film.

She pulled a small pack of fire crackers her from camera bag. She lit a fuse and tossed the pack.

The fireworks went off, creakingly gunshots. The cops drew their weapons and faced the noise as Emily snuck behind them and moved through the underpass. She smiled to herself and pulled out her camera.

* * *

Angel's Square used to be the busiest part of the city during all hours of the day. Shoulder packed crowds, honking horns, and blinking signs that put Times Square to shame.

But today the streets were empty and quiet.

A manhole cover slid open as the five rangers climbed out.

"Can we please never do that again?" Wes asked Jenn.

"I'll think about it," she said.

Jenn pulled her sleeve off of her brace. Sion had programmed their morphers to detect the criminal's mind-control devise. "Let's split up."

The rangers walked off separately.

Wes walked along a street of buildings, the first few floors of which were retail shops, with condominiums on the top floors. He heard something fall from the roof and dove aside. Several pots of flowers shattered on the concrete behind him. He looked up, but saw no one.

A few streets away, Sion looked into the window of a vacated sports store. A lone man was sitting on the ground. His eyes were open wide with insanity. He was using a hammer to slam nails into a wooden bat.

Jenn was moving through an alley while trying to get a trace of the criminal's device. She heard a scream.

The ranger darted from the alley and looked across the street. The photographer, Emily, was on a railed extension that wrapped around the second story of a building. A man had her in a chokehold from behind.

Jenn dashed forward towards the building's steps. She darted up the steps and onto the balcony. The ranger ran towards Emily and slammed a punch against her attacker's face. Jenn grabbed Emily by the arm and quickly led her down the staircase. They took cover by a nearby alley.

Jenn narrowed her eyes at the young photographer. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

Emily pulled her arm away. "I could say the same thing about you, missy. I'm working."

Jenn glanced down at Emily's camera. The ranger arced an eyebrow at the photographer. "Do you have any idea how stupid it was to come here? You could have been killed."

"I've been in worse situations," Emily said as she checked her camera to make sure it wasn't damaged. "I was one of the only field photographers in the world get to get decent shots of that Quantron mess a few months back. This is a cake walk in comparison."

Jenn narrowed her eyes. "More than 500 people are dead. I suggest you quit snooping around and go home before you add another figure to the body count."

Jenn walked off.

* * *

The sun was starting to set.

A few streets away, Sion's brace started to flash. His face brightened as he opened a comm line to his teammates. "I found it…I found the device…"

Sion cut through an alley and ran towards the signal. He and the rangers regrouped and ran towards the criminal while staying out of sight.

* * *

The villain's slender body was dressed in white armor and a white cape. The criminal's helmet was slim and tall. He stood in a plaza area lined with bushes and trees. He was warming up his mind-control device, a cylinder-shaped object.

A hill sloped down to the plaza. The Rangers were in their armor and crouching for cover behind a row of bushes. Time Pink armed her Vol Sniper and aimed the weapon downward.

The Pink Ranger cursed beneath her breath when she spotted Emily hiding behind a bush below, frighteningly close to the criminal. She lowered her weapon and looked to Time Red. "There's a civilian down there."

Below, Emily leaned out to get a better shot, but she tripped and crashed to the ground. The villain heard the noise and turned to face the photographer.

Time Pink sighed with frustration and stood. "She's ruining everything."

The five Ranger pounced off the hill and leapt downward, landing at the plaza below.

The criminal fired tendrils of electric energy that thrashed around the Rangers and pulsed with golden light. The Rangers collapsed onto the stairs as the energy vanished.

Time Red slowly rose to his feet and rolled his hands into fists. The Red Ranger leapt through the air and angled his decent towards the villain while swinging a fist. Feet away from the monster, Time Red slammed against an invisible barrier that pulsed with golden power, exploding across Time Red's chest with a burst of spark and knocking him backward.

The criminal laughed mockingly at the Ranger sand walked off.

"Vol weapons," Time Pink said as the Rangers armed their large blasters. They aimed the weapons forward and fired pulse blasts that exploded against the barrier, ricocheted off of the force field, and exploded back against the five Rangers with bursts of spark.

Emily watched as the Rangers rose back to their feet. They aimed their weapons and fired again. The blasts exploded against the force field, cracking the barrier.

"It's mine," Time Yellow said as he walked towards the crack. He reached back and swung a powerful punch against the barrier. His punch shattered through the barrier, destroying the force field.

Emily opened her eyes wide with awe. She lifted her camera and started taking pictures.

The sun started to set across the horizon.

Time Pink turned towards the photographer and stalked forward. Her eyes were staring like daggers beneath her helmet. Emily kept shooting pictures. Time Pink slapped the back of her hand across Emily's face.

"You shouldn't have been down here," she said firmly. "People are probably going to die here because of you. Just so you can get your picture. Do you journalists even have brains?"

The sun had set.

Hundreds piled onto the streets. They were in zombie-like trances while forming into two groups that marched towards each other. They carried make-shift torches, bats, drills and any tool they could turn into a weapon.

Gowagen retreated to the rooftops to watch. His insane laughter echoed across the streets as the two groups of brainwashed residents stalked closer towards each other.

Nearby, Emily crouched on the streets, watching as the mobs approached each other. She opened her eyes wide with horror when she noticed some members of the mob were children.

The Rangers hurried away from the plaza. Time Yellow hesitated and looked back to Emily. He ran over to her for a moment. The Yellow Ranger leaned down and placed a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "Hey…it's going to be okay. Just try to find cover and do what you can to get to safety."

She looked up, in awe at the Ranger's presence.

Time Yellow turned and joined his teammates.

* * *

The criminal's glowing eyes were open wide with anticipation. The mobs were mere feet apart. It was about to happen.

The villain had moved down to a wide, concrete staircase that led to a plaza in front of a museum. His mind-control device was pulsing with power in front of him.

The Time Flier suddenly swooped down from the air. The craft fired lances of blue energy that exploded against the criminal and knocked him backward, shattering his device in the process.

The mobs lowered their weapons as the fog lifted from their minds.

The criminal scrambled backward and tried to run for cover as the Rangers leapt from the flier. They landed on the steps with their backs towards the criminal. The five Rangers snapped around to face the villain while shouting their names.

"Time Red!"

"Blue!"

"Green"

"Yellow!"

"Pink!"

They thrust their badges forward. "Time Ranger!"

Time Pink slowly stepped towards the monster while extending her badge. "Gowagen…you're under arrest for breaking the Temporal Accords…"

The criminal threw a handful of golden nuts and bolts onto the ground. The bolts liquefied and took shape, forming a group of junk droid soldiers.

Time Red leapt through the air and landed while thrashing through a droid with his double-bladed Vector Saber. He turned to his left and swung the blade upward, slashing across a grunt with a burst of spark. The soldier's body whipped backward and crashed against the ground, circuits hanging and sparking from its wound.

Time Blue tornado kicked a grunt aside. He completed his spin by thrashing his double-blades Vector Saber through a second grunt's body, cutting the soldier in half.

Time Pink and Time Green stood near each other. The Pink Ranger swung her blades outward in an 'x' pattern that tore open a soldier's chest with a massive burst of spark. Time Green slammed a roundkick against a grunt's chest and chopped a knifehand strike onto the back of the soldier's neck.

Nearby, Emily watched from behind a row of columns. She started taking pictures, but lowered the camera when she saw Time Yellow using his double-edged blade to thrash through a group of droids, his blades cutting deeply through the grunts.

His moves were quick and strong. His body a refined weapon. She smiled as she watched him slash his way through enemy soldiers.

The criminal suddenly lunged towards Time Yellow. The Yellow Ranger smashed a punch against the villain's face, knocking the criminal backward.

Gowagen slowly rose into a crouched position and thrust his hand forward, firing jagged blasts of electric energy. Time Yellow rolled away as the energy blast exploded against the ground with a burst of spark.

The Yellow Ranger rose to his knees and swung his Vector Saber forward, triggering an energy blade that shot against the villain, sparking on impact.

Time Yellow ran his fingers along each of his blades. Each blade energized with yellow power. The Yellow ranger swung downward, twisted his wrists, and swung upward, the blades streaking with power while thrashing across the villain.

Explosions thrashed across the villain's armor and knocked him off his feet. The five Rangers regrouped.

"Chrono Launcher," Time Red commanded.

The five Rangers combined their weapons into a bazooka. Time Green, Time Blue, Time Yellow, and Time Pin stood at the weapon's sides, while Time Red grasped the weapon from behind.

"Target…locked on," Time Red said as his visor zeroed in on the villain. "Chrono Launcher, fire!"

The bazooka shot an energy pulse that streaked towards the criminal. The blast exploded against the criminal, causing a chain reaction that shrank the villain and placed him in suspension.

* * *

Emily sat on her apartment, shifting through her pictures. One series of shots were pictures of Wes, Jenn, Lucas, Damien, and Sion. Jenn was obviously Time Pink, Emily told herself.

She looked at a picture of Lucas. He was around her age, square shoulders, a strong mysterious look, but seemed to have an inner sensitivity to him. Emily smiled. "Time Yellow…" she said while looking at Lucas's picture.

* * *

_**From the Associated Press**_

_**Published in 2006**_

_**Taken from various news articles**_

_A gang war on the city's eastside left three dead and more than a dozen wounded Wednesday._

_Everyone involved was a juvenile, according to police reports._

_Various youth gangs are becoming more organized and high profile, engaging in acts of violence ranging from mugging to arson. _

**DAY FOUR: FIRST STUDENT**

It was 1 a.m.

Thirteen-year-old Ben stood outside in his backyard. Rope was tied tight around the tree. The young teenager slammed his fists against the tree in a steady rhythm.

Ben was Wes's first student in a karate class. He enrolled in the class because of one simple reason: bullies. A group of punks had tormented him for days. The right side of his face was still fresh with bruises left over from the encounter.

Ben's mother peaked her head outside. "Ben…it's one o'clock in the morning. You have to be up for school in five hours."

Ben kept hitting the tree. "Ben, sweetie…you're scaring me."

* * *

Later in the morning, Ben's mother sat with Wes in the office.

"He was up all night," she explained. "He's been like this for days, even before joining your class. I…I don't know what's wrong."

"Have you tried talking to his teacher?" Wes asked.

Ben's mother scoffed. "For all the good it did me. She's not a pleasant woman. Anyway…Ben has looked up to you since he met you. I was hoping you could talk to him?"

Wes nodded. "I'll see what I can do."

* * *

Wes walked across a courtyard outside of Ben's school. The young teenager attended a poor school district on the northern edge of the city. But school grounds were surprisingly well kept with trees, bushes, and patches of flowers.

Ben tended to a small group patch of flowers as a group of four older teenagers walked over to him. They each wore red slashes around their left arms. The leader had dark, disheveled hair died with blonde streaks. His cronies called him Boss.

He stepped forward, his hands in his pockets, and looked down to Ben. "Well?"

Ben did not make eye contact or say a word. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of money. One of the cronies grabbed the money and handed it to their leader, who quickly counted the cash.

Boss narrowed his brow. "This is only half of what I asked for."

Ben shook his head. "It's the best I could do."

Boss looked to his lackeys. "Get this worthless shit to his feet."

They grabbed Ben by the arms and lifted him from the ground. Boss grabbed Ben by the collar and reached back with his other harm to deliver a punch.

Wes stepped onto the scene at that moment. "Hey!"

Boss slammed a punch against Ben's face. Ben crashed against the ground and skid backward, his elbows rubbing against the pavement. The bullies walked off.

* * *

Wes sat with Ben in the nurse's office.

"They're part of a gang," Ben explained. "The Yakuza, or something. They were recruit a couple days ago."

"Have you told anyone?" Wes asked.

Ben nodded. "Yeah, but they won't do anything about it. This is why I took your class…I want to fight them. I want to hurt them for what they've been doing."

* * *

The rangers gathered around a table in their office. Jenn spread a large map of Angel Grove across the table. The map showed basic locations throughout each of Angel Grove's five massive subsections.

"The Yakuza was the name of the Japanese mafia in this time period," Jenn explained. "That's where these gangs got the names. So far, they've been spreading in small pockets across the city. I haven't been able to find any pattern."

Lucas's arms were crossed over his chest. "Is it Dorunero?"

"It could be," Jenn said.

Wes nodded. "Either that, or an odd coincidence in timing. Ben said the gang members in his school were recruited just a couple days ago."

Jenn nodded thoughtfully. "It would make sense for Dorunero to start with gangs and thugs before getting involved with the criminal element's heavy players. That will give him some backing, along with financing."

Wes nodded. "We should talk to the gang members at Ben's school. It seems like a good place to start."

* * *

Ben was walking home from school. Boss and his group of thugs stepped out onto the sidewalk to block his path. The gang leader extended his hand and stalked forward. "I want the other half."

Ben kept his gaze down, not making eye contact with Boss or the gang member's cronies.

Boss slapped the back of his hand across Ben's face. Ben crashed to the ground as one of the gang members tore his backpack away. The thugs dumped the bags contents across the sidewalk.

"Leave me alone…" Ben said quietly.

Boss kicked Ben while he was down.

Ben rolled his hands into fists. "I said…leave me alone!"

Ben sprang to his feet and slammed a punch against Boss's face. The blow knocked Boss off his feet, smashing the thug's nose and knocking him unconscious.

The teenager heard someone clapping from behind. He turned to see a strange woman walking onto the scene. She slowly clapped while looking at Ben, a large smile spread across her face.

* * *

Hours passed.

Teen thugs gathered in an old abandoned warehouse. Flags and banners with various kanji symbols decorated the warehouse. The strange woman led Ben to a rectangular table at the front of the warehouse.

She stood behind him while placing her hands on his shoulders. "This young one defeated your leader with ease. You will show him the same respect you show me."

A lopsided grin crossed Ben's face.

* * *

The strange woman walked into the Londaraz lair and approached Dorunero. The woman flickered as she powered down her holographic disguise. She was a he: the criminal named Furan.

Furan wore a dark-red trenchcoat with yellow trimming that looked like fire. He wore all black beneath the jacket and black slacks. The alien's skin was chalk-white with some traces of a purple tint. He wore black sunglasses and a green Mohawk.

Furan laughed as he started counting cash from his pockets. "Kids in this time period are so gullible."

* * *

He had only been on the job for an hour, but Ben was fitting in quite nicely. He held his head up high as he and his cronies walked through a park. The cronies grabbed a teenager by the arm and pushed him up against a tree.

Ben smirked and stepped forward. It felt good to get back at the world, he said, ignoring his own conscious. He extended his hand. "I'll take your wallet. Don't think about doing anything stupid."

* * *

The rangers tracked down Boss's home in a run-down part of the city.

"I'm done with them," Boss aid while standing his doorway. "Now get the hell away from house."

Wes put his hand on the door before Boss could close it. "Then who's in charge."

"That little friend of yours," Boss said. "But I doubt he'll last long."

* * *

Later that night, Furan stood in his woman disguise while speaking alone to Ben. The criminal was not happy. He had a suitcase full of money, but not nearly enough. "This is all you could get in one night?"

Ben narrowed his brow. "Oh, come on. What's wrong with-"

Furan reached forward and grabbed the boy by the throat. "Respect. Learn to use it."

The rear door burst open as Wes and the others entered the room.

"Let him go," Wes said firmly to the criminal.

Furan cursed beneath his breath and tossed Ben aside before running out the door. The rangers followed, running outside into a wide alley that separated the warehouses. The villain armed a whip weapon once he realized he could not run, and the rangers readied their morphers.

"Chrono, Trigger!" They slapped their braces' activation panels. Streams of data swirled around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms, their backs towards the villain when they landed.

The five Rangers snapped around to face the villain while shouting their names.

"Time Red!"

"Blue!"

"Green"

"Yellow!"

"Pink!"

They thrust their badges forward. "Time Ranger!"

Time Pink slowly stepped towards the villain while extending her badge. "Furan…you're under arrest for breaking the Temporal Accords…"

Furan twirled a whip shaped like a thin octopus tentacle. He snapped the whip, emitting an energy discharge of electric power that exploded against the Rangers' armor with a burst of spark while knocking them backward.

The criminal snapped his whip out, wrapping the tendril around Time Red's neck. The villain pulled back, tugging the Red Ranger off his feet and sending him tumbling across the ground.

The villain lifted Time Red by the neck and slammed him back-first against a wall. Time Red struggled to breath as the villain's grip tightened like a vice.

The Red Ranger slammed his fists beneath the villain's arms. The criminal dropped Time Red, and the Red Ranger moved forward as soon as his feet touched the ground, snapping a sidekick that smashed against the villain's chest, knocking the criminal backward.

Time Red sprang through the air and slammed a flying punch against the criminal, forcing the villain backward. The Red Ranger pressed forward with a flying sidekick, and followed with a flying knifehand chop that crashed against the criminal's collar bone.

Time Red punched forward with a rapid volley of punches that slammed against the criminal, pounding his flesh and cracking his bone. The Red Ranger's final punch cracked across the villain's face, sending him flying off his feet.

The criminal crashed backward as his cryo patch tore off. The patch's removal caused a chain reaction in the criminal's DNA. The villain's body expanded and grew giant.

Time Red activated his communicator. "Takku!"

"Yokai," Takku answered, the Japanese word for 'roger.' The droid activated his temporal transceiver. "3-D system, stand by for launch!"

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 3006AD**_

In the north section of the city sat a circular command complex with several rectangular buildings webbing out from the main compound. A yellow and black giant-sized robo stomped around the perimeter of the compound near a tall gate shaped like an upside down 'V.' A runway connected the gate to the complex.

A lone figure sat in the observatory that looked out upon the runway. He answered Takku's call.

A platform of five Time Jets surfaced at the end of the runway. The platform rotated and lined the red-trimmed jet into position.

The Providus zord swung its massive fist towards the Time Jet. The fist smashed against the Time Jet and throttled the vessel forward. The Time Jet accelerated closer to the Time Gate, and disappeared through the gate, leaving a trail of energy vapor in its wake.

One-by-one, Providus slammed the Time Jets through the Gate. The five zords flew in tight formation and throttled backward through the time stream.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 2006AD**_

A wormhole opened in the sky and the five zords streaked through, swooping down into the atmosphere.

"Time Flier," Time Red commanded as the Time Flier hovered past their location.

The Time Rangers leapt onto the Flier. The Flier carried them over their five Time Jets, traveling at frightful speeds. Thankful he was not afraid of heights or prone to airsickness, Time Red and the others jumped off the Time Flier and fell into their cockpits.

"3-D Formation…" Time Red commanded as he grasped control levers to his side. "Time Robo, Beta!"

The Time Jets stayed in tight formation and flew across the streets as they streets, Each zord started to reassemble and combine into a giant, blue-armored zord. The 3-D formation completed as the Rangers activated their zord: the Time-Force Megazord, Mode Blue.

The Rangers stood in the zord's central cockpit. Five tall rods extended from the floor to the Rangers' waist levels. The Time Rangers reached forward and grabbed the Lancers.

Furan twirled his whip and charged towards the Megazord. The whip snapped forward, but the Time-Force Megazord caught the whip with its right hand and slammed its left fist against the villain.

Furan went flying backward, crashing through a nearby building before crashing against the ground.

"Changing formation," Time Red commanded. "Time Robo, Alpha!"

The Megazord disassembled and started to change shape into different formations. The Time Jets merged into a new form: Time-Force Megazord, Mode Red. The red-armored Megazord landed on the streets and faced off with the criminal.

"Time-Force Megazord Saber!" Time Red commanded. A worm hole opened in the Megazord's chest. A saber speared forward from the portal, and the Megazord wrapped his hand around the saber's handle.

Furan snapped his whip, firing bursts of electric energy that exploded against the Megazord with a burst of spark. The Time-Force Megazord walked through the explosions, stalking towards its opponent.

"Time-Force Megazord Saber!" Time Red shouted. "Final Strike!"

The zord's saber energized and swung horizontally. The blade slashed through the monster, but did not kill it. The attack caused a chain reaction within the creature that caused the insides of his body to freeze. The criminal fell backwards, and a large explosion surrounded the villain as he shrunk down to less than a foot tall, and entered a state of cryogenic suspension.

* * *

Wes sat with Ben on the boy's steps.

"This has been…one hell of a day," Ben said.

"You could say that," Wes said.

"I saw you, you know. Hat Ranger thing," Ben said.

"You can't tell anyone," Wes said.

Ben shook his head. "I won't…"

"Good," Wes said. "So, tell me what happened. Why did you do it?"

Ben shrugged. "It just felt…good. It was the first time I didn't feel weak. I guess I got a little carried away. Now…now I feel like crap."

"Well…you should," Wes said.

Ben nodded. "I'm taking the money back tomorrow. I'll probably…god, I am in so much trouble."

Wes patted Ben on the back. "Yes you are. Now I'm not really good at…talking about these kind of things. I've gotten into my fair of trouble too. Just remember that you're not learning martial arts to be a bully. You're better than them. And just because you can beat them up, doesn't mean you should."

Ben nodded. "I won't do this again. It felt…wrong."

"Good," Wes said.

* * *

_**From the Associated Press**_

_**Published in 2006**_

_**Taken from various news articles**_

_An unknown sniper killed five city businessman Thursday. _

_Each businessman was rumored to have connections with Angel Grove's criminal element, according to police._

**DAY FIVE: STALKERS AND SNIPERS**

Emily was in trouble again. She had entered her apartment to find an unexpected visitor: a meta criminal.

The villain's flat, almost featureless pale blue face had black glossy eyes and a slit for a mouth. Plates of pale-gray armor that looked like leafs covered her body, legs, and arms. She wore red garments beneath the armor.

The criminal wore brown gloves with a wrist-mounted cannon on her right arm. Leaf plates of armor were draped across her head as well. Her name was Reihou.

"Welcome home," Reihou said. The villain had been rummaging through Emily's scrap books and photo clippings from work, specifically, the pictures of the Time Rangers. She held up the latest front-page picture. "You seem to have taken many pictures of these Time Rangers."

Emily turned to run off towards the door. But Reihou fired a burst from her wrist blaster that buzzed past Emily's head and shot through the wall. Emily stopped in her tracks, frozen with fear.

"No reason to leave," Reihou said. "I just want to talk…"

* * *

The rangers huddled around the coffee table in their office. They had the latest photo page of a city newspaper spread across the table, and the photo page features pictures of the Time Rangers. Each picture was taken by Emily.

"It's that same girl we ran into a couple days ago in Angel's Square," Jenn said. "How can she always track us?"

"Do you think she knows who we are?" Wes asked. "That would explain how she shows up at the right moment."

"I don't know," Jenn said, "but this has to stop. Sion…can you track down her address?"

Sion nodded and turned to his computer.

Wes smiled. "You could just use a phone book…"

* * *

The rangers arrived at Emily's apartment to find her rooms empty and in shambles. Someone had clearly broken into the apartment, and it looked like Emily had been kidnapped.

The rangers looked through her things for a clue as to what had happened.

"Man," Wes said as he looked through a stack of pictures. "She sure has a lot of pictures of us. Especially you, Damien."

Damien walked over to Wes and looked at the various pictures of Time Yellow.

Lucas eventually noticed a bullet hole in the apartment wall. "Look at this," he said to the others. "It's some kind of blaster mark."

Sion's eyes opened wide. "Takku can analyze it."

Minutes later, the rangers returned to their office as Takku processed data about the bullet hole and bullet itself. The bullet type was not developed in the current time period, which meant it came from the future. Takku found only one criminal in the Londaraz group that used such ammunition.

Takku uploaded the criminal's information onto the rangers' computer. "Prisoner number AG-38M. Reihou. Convicted on twelve counts of assassination/murder, and six counts of murder. Sentenced for 180 years."

* * *

The criminal's plan was perfect. One of Emily's pictures showed a side-by-side image of Time Yellow and Lucas, who Emily mistakenly thought was the Yellow Ranger. Reihou planned to wait until the ranger approached Emily, and shoot the ranger down from the distance.

Emily sat alone on a square, concrete block in the center of a wide, open plaza. Reihou watched from above, taking cover on a balcony that wrapped around one of the city's high-rise office buildings. The villain's wrist blaster was armed, and a targeting device activated over her right eye.

She waited.

Below, Emily eyes her surroundings as tension nearly choked her. A strange collar was around her neck, blinking, sending a signal to bait the Time Rangers.

Emily knew Reihou was watching. The criminal would kill Time Yellow the second she saw him. She would never forgive herself if that happened.

* * *

Takku received the signal. The droid uploaded a 3-D rendering of the square onto the rangers' computer. The screen showed an image of Emily sitting alone at the square with a frightened look on her face.

"Why is she just sitting there?" Wes asked.

"She's bait," Jenn said. "She's meant to lead us into the open so the sniper can shoot us down."

Takku drew a neon grid sphere in the middle of the square. "Reihou could be anywhere within a kilometer radius of Emily. And her sniper weapon can penetrate Ranger armor."

"You're kidding," Damien said.

"No," Takku answered. "And I have no way of tracking down the sniper's exact location."

"So," Lucas said, "we have to find the sniper without getting shot in the process."

"It's worse than that," Takku said. "The collar around Emily's neck is a bomb. It goes off in 20 minutes."

* * *

The Rangers armored up and kept their distance from the plaza, doing their best to stay out of sight while still keeping an eye on Emily.

Time Green had modified his Vol Pulsar to emit an invisible energy barrier that would form a dome around Emily, shielding her and the Rangers from the sniper's bullets. But the shield would only be temporary, so they had to hurry.

Time Green fired a jade-tinted energy pulse that vanished while forming a sphere barrier around the plaza area.

Time Yellow was on the opposite side of the plaza. The Yellow Ranger peaked his head out from behind a pillar and looked to Emily. He gave her a thumbs-up sign to let her know everything would be okay.

Emily opened her eyes wide with panic. "No…stay back!"

She found herself sprinting upward and running towards Time Yellow, fear overriding her own common sense.

Time Pink cursed beneath her breath. "She's going to move outside the field…"

The Pink Ranger sprinted forward, and Time Green followed at her heels. They tackled Emily out of the way as the sniper's blasts exploded against the barrier, shattering it.

"The shield's down," Time Green said.

The sniper fired from the distance again. Time Pink used her Vector Sabers to deflect the blast. The two Rangers and Emily dove for cover while hiding behind a nearby statue. The criminal fired again, pulverizing the statue.

Emily screamed and ran for cover. Time Green and Time Pink ran after her, determined not to get her or themselves killed.

Above, Reihou narrowed her sights on the Pink Ranger. The villain smiled wickedly to herself and prepared to fire.

"Stop!" a voice shouted from behind. She turned to see Time Yellow standing with his Vol weapon aimed towards her head. "Put your hands up."

Reihou did as she was told. "So…you've come to save your little princes…how cute."

Time Yellow narrowed his eyes beneath his visor and tightened his grip on the weapon. Time Red and Time Blue ran up to the balcony. They stood behind Time Yellow and armed their own Vol weapons.

Reihou dropped and triggered a blast while rolling beneath the balcony rail and falling towards the ground below. The three Rangers dodged the blast, and quickly leapt over the railing to follow.

Meanwhile, Time Green and Time Pink had a frantic Emily at the base of a building for cover.

"The timer!" Time Green warned, but Emily would not stop trying to break away.

Time Pink slammed her fist against the young woman's gut, knocking her out. The Pink Ranger ripped the collar free and tossed it aside. The collar exploded in midair as the two Rangers leapt for cover along with Emily.

Nearby, the other three Rangers faced off with the sniper. The criminal tossed a handful of golden nuts and bolts to the ground, which transformed into a group of junk droids. Time Red and Time Blue armed their Vector Sabers while Time Yellow armed a double-bladed Vector Saber.

The three Rangers were blurs of motion as they charged through the junk droids, t5heir sabers sparking through armor and tearing apart circuitry with every strike.

Time Red parried a blow and slashed a soldier down while spinning forward with a spinning heel kick that smashed across a grunt's chest.

Time Blue roundhouse kicked a soldier aside and slashed his blades outward in an 'x' pattern that tore through a grunt's chest.

Time Yellow twirled his double-bladed weapon while dashing past soldiers, ripping through them with powerful strikes and slashes, each blow sparking on impact.

Reihou aimed her sniper weapon at the Red Ranger's back and fired a pair of rounds. Time Green suddenly leapt onto the scene and used his Vector Saber to deflect each blast, which sparked against his sword on impact.

Time Pink leapt in from besides the villain and slammed a double kick against the criminal. Reihou stumbled backward and crashed against the ground.

The Pink Ranger landed and extended her badge. "Reihou…You're under arrest for breaking the Temporal Accords. It's time for judgment."

"I think not," Reihou said as she took a step back and ripped off her patch. The villain's DNA reacted, starting a process that caused the criminal to grow giant.

Time Red activated his communicator. "Takku!"

"Yokai," Takku answered as he activated his temporal transceiver. "3-D system, stand by for launch!"

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 3006AD**_

A platform of five Time Jets surfaced at the end of the runway.

One-by-one, Providus slammed the Time Jets through the Time Gate. The five zords flew in tight formation and throttled backward through the time stream.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 2006AD**_

A wormhole opened in the sky and the five zords streaked through, swooping down into the atmosphere.

"Time Flier," Time Red commanded as the Time Flier hovered past their location.

The Time Rangers leapt onto the Flier. The Flier carried them over their five Time Jets, traveling at frightful speeds. Thankful he was not afraid of heights or prone to airsickness, Time Red and the others jumped off the Time Flier and fell into their cockpits.

"3-D Formation…" Time Red commanded as he grasped control levers to his side. "Time Robo, Alpha!"

The Time Jets stayed in tight formation and flew across the streets. Each zord started to reassemble and combine into a giant, red-armored zord. The 3-D formation completed as the Rangers activated their zord: the Time-Force Megazord, Mode Red.

The Rangers stood in the zord's central cockpit. Five tall rods extended from the floor to the Rangers' waist levels. Takku uploaded information onto the Rangers' visors about how to use the Control Lancers to operate the Megazord. The Time Rangers reached forward and grabbed the Lancers.

"Time-Force Megazord Saber!" Time Red commanded. A worm hole opened in the Megazord's chest. A saber speared forward from the portal, and the Megazord wrapped his hand around the saber's handle.

Reihou fired her arm-mounted blaster at the Megazord. The Time-Force Megazord armed its shield, which was heavily armored enough to block the blasts.

Reihou turned her attention to a nearby building and fired a blast that destroyed the building, sending a cloud of smoke and debris crashing against the Megazord. When the smoke cleared, the Megazord was nowhere in sight.

Through the corner of her eye, she was a figure drop from the sky. She turned to see the Time-Force Megazord in mode Blue. The Time-Force Megazord opened fire with energy blasts that exploded against the criminal, knocking her backward.

The Megazord fired a force bubble similar to the one Time Green had used in th eplaza. The force bubble confined Reihou and lifted her from the ground.

"Changing formation," Time Red commanded. "Time Robo, Alpha!"

The Megazord disassembled and started to change shape into different formations. The Time Jets merged into a new form: Time-Force Megazord, Mode Red. The red-armored Megazord landed on the streets and faced off with the criminal.

"Time-Force Megazord Saber!" Time Red commanded. A worm hole opened in the Megazord's chest. A saber speared forward from the portal, and the Megazord wrapped his hand around the saber's handle.

Time Red pulled the Control Lancer free from the ground. The lancer flashed with energy and formed a miniature replica of the zord's saber.

Time Red thrust the saber forward as the Megazord copied his movements. Two shorter blades opened from the Megazord saber like the hands of the clock, forming 90 degree angles with the sword.

"Time-Force Megazord Saber!" Time Red shouted. "Final Strike!"

The zord's saber energized and swung horizontally. The blade slashed through the criminal, but did not kill her. The attack caused a chain reaction within the villain that caused the insides of her body to freeze. The criminal fell backwards, and a large explosion surrounded her as she shrunk down to less than a foot tall, and entered a state of cryogenic suspension.

* * *

Jenn laid Emily in her bed and covered her with a blanket. She would awake shortly. Sion was at the photographer's desk, shuffling through her pictures of Time Yellow.

"She really has a thing for Damien…" Sion said with a bright smile on his face. He made sure Jenn did not notice him write his e-mail address on the back of one of the pictures.

* * *

Later that night, Sion checked his e-mail. There was a message from Emily. His smile brightened. "Damien, you have fan mail."

"What?" Damien asked as he walked towards the computer. "What are you talking about?"

"It's for Time Yellow," Sion said. "It's from Emily, that photographer."

Damien slightly blushed as he leaned over Sion's shoulder. "You're kidding. That's not possible."

"It's true," Sion said. "Look…"

"Well tell me how to respond," Damien said as he pushed Sion from the chair.

* * *

Wes's cell phone rang. It was his father.

"Wes," Mr. Collins said. "I've called to tell you to end this nonsense and come home."

"We had a deal," Wes said. "You lost, now I'm on my own."

"Doing what? Wasting your life?" Mr. Collins said. "I've pictured you sitting alone all week, wasting time in fruitless pursuits, and I could not be more disappointed in you, Wesley. What has this accomplished? What have you accomplished."

Wes clenched his jaw. "More than you'll ever know, Dad…"

**To be continued…**


	4. Jenn

**Jenn**

The Londaraz tower was as dark as the night sky. Dorunero and Lira were asleep in their quarters, and Gien did not even want to think about what they were doing inside. The thought disgusted him.

The golden droid entered the main room of the tower. Capsules filled with shrunk, suspended criminals lined the walls. Gien was searching for a particular criminal, one that would serve his purposes well.

He slowly lifted one of the prisoner cylinders and carried the prisoner to the cryogenic matrix. He placed the cylinder on the matrix platform and slid the chamber shut.

The matrix filled with steam as strands of energy twirled inside. Genetic material unraveled and reassembled The prisoner returned to his normal size and revived.

The villain's upper body resembled a cross between a catfish and a frog. Its skin was sickly green and yellow. A black visor covered his eyes. The visor was set above thick yellow lips that took up most of his face.

His right arm was replaced with a rotating multi-barrel gattling gun. Various trinkets such as bracelets were attached to the suit he wore over his body. His slacks were dull silver. The press would call him MadBlast.

MadBlast stepped forward from the matrix. He tilted his head while looking at Gien. The villain turned up his lips. "Dorunero sent you to kill me? Get it over with, stinking droid."

"Dorunero has forgotten all about you," Gien said.

"Then what do you want, droid?" the villain asked. "Who do you work for? Ransik? The Yakikaze Family?"

Gien ignored the question. "You still like killing people? Don't you?"

* * *

Wes stretched as he, Damien, and Lucas walked into the office the next morning. Sion was awake at a computer, running through a set of computer algorithms that flashed across the screen.

"Do you ever sleep?" Wes asked his friend as he straddled a chair backwards and leaned on its edge. He was still not used to waking up earlier than his own schedule called for, which was rarely before 10 a.m.

"Just once a year," Sion answered.

Wes opened his eyes wide. "Are you serious? That's incredible…what kind of alien are you?"

"Hey," Damien said. "He's a Hummardian. Don't call him 'alien.'"

"It's alright, Damien," Sion said with his typical, boyish grin. He looked to Wes. "I hibernate once a year. My physiology is designed to constantly keep moving, and I don't require REM sleep like humans."

"Huh," Wes said. "You must get a lot done."

Wes looked to Jenn's door and noticed she had not come out from her room yet. "Where's Jenn?"

"She left for work an hour ago," Sion said. "She's cleaning the lobby of the Baxter Building."

"Already?" Wes asked. "She left for work already? And what's she doing cleaning? She's supposed to be an investigator."

"You're the one who wrote miscellaneous at the end of her job description," Damien said.

"I'm just trying to keep our options open," Wes said. "We should go help her…"

* * *

Jenn slowly mopped the huge lobby's floor tiling. She kept her eyes downward, watching her work unfold.

Wes and the others stepped into the lobby.

"Hey…" Wes said as they walked towards her. They carried buckets of cleaning supplies with them. "Now why do you get all the fun?"

Jenn arced an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"

"Relax," Wes said with a smile. "We're just here to help."

Jenn turned back to her mopping.

Sion picked up a mop of his own and started racing back and forth across the floor while streaking the mop. "Hey Damien, think you can keep up with me?"

Sion slid and tipped over a bucket of water. Jenn sighed with frustration. "I thought you boys said you were here to help? So help."

"Man…" Damien whispered besides Wes. "What's eating her?"

* * *

The latest prisoner moved through the streets nearby with his weapon arm aimed forward.

MadBlast stalked across a city plaza, shooting down anything that moved. Citizens screamed and ran in panic as the villain's gun arm unloaded countless clips, blazing with the sound of a chainsaw.

A group of people ran into the Baxter building for cover. Bullets shattered the glass door and wall, showering glass across the floor near the rangers.

"Londaraz Family…" Jenn cursed.

Outside, the villain leaned over a corpse and removed the dead man's gold watch. "Ah…an addition to my collection…"

The criminal placed the watch onto his vest and continued stalking forward. He opened fire on a fleeing crowd of people.

The Time Rangers suddenly leapt down from a nearby building. They landed on the streets and blocked the criminal's path. Time Pink armed her Vol Sniper and aimed the weapon forward. "You're under arrest for breaking the Temporal Accords…"

The villain scoffed. "Well…it was fun while it lasted." He put his arms up and turned around, his back facing the Rangers.

Time Pink slightly lowered her weapon. What was the villain up to?

MadBlast whipped back around and opened fire. Blasts exploded against the Rangers' armor with bursts of spark that knocked them backward. The criminal laughed and stalked forward. With each step, his boot clanked against the ground, making a sound like loose change in a pocket.

Time Pink immediately recognized the sound. Sorrow and anger welled up inside of her. That sound…

Time Pink looked up to face the criminal. Her teammates scrambled around the villain while launching flurries of kicks and punches. The Pink Ranger noticed the collection of bracelets and braces on the criminal's chest. One bracelet in particular caught her eye. She knew that bracelet.

Time Pink slowly rose to her feet and tightened her hands into fists. She glared at the criminal through her visor. "Chrono Trigger!" Time Pink shouted. Twin Vector Sabers appeared in her hands.

Time Pink dashed forward with her blades extended. She practically shoved her teammates aside and pounced towards the criminal. She chopped her blades down hard against the villain, sparks exploding across the criminal's body on impact. The Pink ranger spun forward while thrashing both sabers across the criminal's midsection.

The Pink Ranger turned and slashed upward, twisted her wrist, and brought the blades back down across the villain's body, sparking on impact.

Time Pink extended both blades in an 'x' formation and speared the weapons against the criminal, knocking him off his feet.

Time Pink armed her Vol Sniper and started opening fire with bursts of energy that exploded across the villain while he was done.

"Whoa, whoa," Time Red shouted as he ran over to her and tried to lower her weapon. "You've got him."

"Let me go, Wes," Time Pink said firmly through a clenched jaw as she slammed the weapon against the Red Ranger. She powered her weapon to full.

"Stop," Time Blue said as he grabbed her weapon by the barrel. "You're going to kill him."

"I said let go!" she shouted as she knocked Time Blue aside. Her Vol Sniper discharged a burst of energy that collapsed a column in the plaza. The criminal used the column's collapse as cover to sprint off.

"He's getting away," Time Green said to the others.

Time Pink yelled with frustration and tossed her Vol Sniper aside. She collapsed to her knees. "It was him…" She slammed her fists against the ground. "I can't believe it was him!"

* * *

Jenn leaned over on a couch within the office. Wes and the others stood nearby, wanting to give her some space. But they were worried.

Wes took a step forward. "Jenn…what's wrong?"

She said nothing.

"Rangers…" Takku said from a desk. The guys gathered around the droid. "I believe I know what is wrong…"

Takku told them Jenn's story…

_Ten-year-old Jenn descended hovering steps that led to a plaza area within Angel Grove. She was returning home from summer camp at Orbital Colony One._

_Jenn smiled when she saw her family up ahead. Her father was standing in his Inter-City Police uniform. He waved at his daughter to get her attention, smiling proudly. Jenn's mother stood next to the man. She held the hand of Jenn's younger sister, Kari._

_Jenn smiled and ran towards her family. She had so many stories to tell! _

_Kari would love to hear about the Fray'loth that ran the station. Kari loved members of the cat-like species. Jenn's father would be proud to know about the self defense tactics she mastered in a matter of weeks! Her instructor had been a Rigelian. And her mother! Jenn could not wait to give her mother her present._

_The sound of gunfire tore through the plaza. _

"_Jenn!" Her father shouted. He moved forward and wrapped his arms around his daughter while turning his back towards the gunshots. _

_Bullets punctured through his body._

_Jenn's mother tried to protect Kari, but bullet shot through both of them, ripping apart their bodies. Jenn watched in horror as her mother and younger sister fell limp to the ground. _

_Jenn's father keeled over and landed on top of her. He was no longer breathing or moving._

_Jenn was covered from sight by her father's body as the shooter stalked forward. With each step, his boot clanked against the ground, making a sound like loose change in a pocket._

_The criminal stopped at Jenn's father's body. Jenn's eyes opened wide with fear. She could only see the criminal by his ankles. She watched the villain reach down and lift her father's limp hand. The criminal pulled the green-trimmed silver command bracelet from her father's wrist, and dropped her father's arm._

_The villain turned and started walking away, laughing at his latest kill._

_Jenn waited until she could no longer hear the villain's footsteps. She slowly crawled out from under her father's body. She bent down and started pulling at his arm. "Dad…dad, get up…"_

_Tears streamed down her cheeks. She moved over to her mother and her younger sister. "Mom…Kari…" she tried to shake them awake, but they didn't move. _

_Jenn stood alone in the plaza._

Jenn stood as Takku was still talking. "He killed my family…in cold blood."

"Jenn…" Lucas said cautiously. "How can you be sure this is the same guy?"

Takku hovered over and landed on his computer interface. Data on the criminal flashed across the screen as the computer downloaded the prisoner file from Takku. "Prisoner number AG-31M. Maboltasai. Convicted of 31 Class-M murders. An assassin…but according to his file, he was in suspension when your father was killed."

Jenn shook her head. "I don't care what the file says. I know it was him. I recognize the voice…and he has my father's brace. He's the criminal who murdered my family. I'll fight him alone if I have to."

"Jenn…" Takku said softly. "You don't have the right to kill him."

"Yeah," Damien said. "We'll put him on ice like the rest if them."

"Then it looks like I'm doing this alone." Jenn stormed into her room and slammed the door.

* * *

Jenn leaned against the door and sighed with frustration. Her mind drifted to her father, her inspiration. Her mother, a strong and vibrant woman. Her younger sister…so innocent.

She remembered the last time she spoke with her father.

"_Dad, I'm going to learn so much! And when I'm old enough, I'm going to be an officer just like you," young Jenn told her father. _

_Her father smiled with pride. "If you do that, I'll give you my brace. I promise…"_

She spun and slammed the door with her fist.

* * *

The night passed. Sion was sitting at his computer terminal early the next morning, working on another software program he planned to sell. He suddenly picked up an alert on the satellites he had tapped into. MadBlast was back.

Sion darted towards the guys' room and barged in. "He's back. At the Westside amusement park."

Jenn was already headed out the door.

* * *

Jenn bolted out of the office building and armed her morpher. "Chrono! Trigger!" She slapped her brace's activation panel. Strands of data and energy circled around her as she morphed into her Ranger form.

"Time Flier!" the Pink Ranger shouted. The Flier streaked downward from the air. Time Pink leapt into the air and landed on the Flier. She streaked off towards the distance.

The other four rangers ran outside just in time to see the Flier disappear over the skyline.

* * *

MadBlast stalked through the amusement park, shooting at everyone he could with slow sweeps. There was no hurry. And he liked to give people a chance to run.

The villain spotted a mother and child ducking for cover in a corner. The criminal smiled with delight and slowly walked towards them with his gun aimed forward.

The Time Flier swooped down from the skies and angled down towards MadBlast. Time Pink triggered the Flier's weapon systems, and lances of blue energy shot towards the villain. The energy blasts exploded around the criminal with bursts of spark, knocking the villain backward.

Time Pink leapt from the Flier and landed at the fallen villain's side. She held her Vol Sniper an inch away from the criminal's face. "The spark is set on full charge. I fire, I blow your head off."

Time Pink looked over her shoulder to the remaining civilians. "Run. Now…"

The criminal stammered as he looked up at his assailant. "What? You're going to shoot me? I'm a suspect! What about Trails? Evidence."

"Shut up," Time Pink said as she jammed the barrel against the criminal's face.

The other Rangers arrived at the scene from the distance.

"Jenn, don't!" Time Red called out.

"If you kill him," Time Green shouted, "you'll be a murder!"

Time Pink pressed the weapon of her barrel down harder. "I don't care. I won't let him escape." She looked down at the criminal, pressing her weapon down harder with each word. "You killed my family, remember?"

"No!" he shouted.

"Liar."

"It wasn't me!"

"You killed them!"

"No!"

"You murdered my family!"

"N-, I was ordered to!"

Time Pink backed her weapon away by an inch.

"Look, look!" The criminally slowly pulled out a small data disk from his pouch. The disk displayed a small holographic image of Dorunero.

The recording spoke. "Your next target is Capt. Yuuri. He's after my black market in Demon City. Kill him, and his family…"

Time Pink tightened her grip on her blaster and pressed the weapon hard against the villain's face.

"Jenn, don't do it!" Time Red shouted again.

Time Pink lowered her weapon and grabbed the data disk from Dorunero. Her evidence. "That's all I wanted to hear…who wanted my family dead."

Time Red breathed a sigh of relief and actually sat on the ground, leaning back and sighing. "Jenn, you scared us to death!"

MadBlast slammed his gun arm across Time Pink's body. The Pink Ranger went crashing backward. She rose to her feet as the others regrouped around her.

Time Pink thrust her badge forward. The Rangers took steps closer towards the villain. "Maboltasai, you're under arrest for breaking the Temporal Accords. And for murder…"

The villain opened fire with his gattling cannon. The Rangers dove and rolled aside as blasts sparked around them. Time Pink Rolled into a crouched position and armed her Vector Sabers before springing forward through the air. The Vector Saber was in its double-blade mode, with the ends of the two weapons' handles connected.

Time Pink leapt towards the criminal while aiming her blade downward. She triggered a pink-blade energy burst that exploded against the criminal, pushing him back.

The Pink Ranger somersaulted forward through the air and slammed a combo of flying kicks against the criminal, each kick combo pushing the villain farther backward.

Time Pink flipped backward and landed in a fighting stance. She traced her fingers along the edge of a blade on her Vector Saber, causing the blade to grow with pink energy. "Time Strike!"

She thrashed the blade downward, and upward, tearing through the criminal with massive bursts of spark that knocked him off his feet.

The bracelets and braces on the villain's chest were knocked free. Time Pink's fathers braces went arcing through the air. She reached up and caught the brace.

The villain's cryogenic patch was torn free from the blast. With the patch torn, the villain's DNA started to flux and expand every cell in his body. The criminal grew giant.

Time Red activated his communicator. "Takku!"

"Yokai," Takku answered. The droid activated his temporal transceiver. "3-D system, stand by for launch!"

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 3006AD**_

In the north section of the city sat a circular command complex with several rectangular buildings webbing out from the main compound. A yellow and black giant-sized robo stomped around the perimeter of the compound near a tall gate shaped like an upside down 'V.' A runway connected the gate to the complex.

A lone figure sat in the observatory that looked out upon the runway. He answered Takku's call.

A platform of five Time Jets surfaced at the end of the runway. The platform rotated and lined the red-trimmed jet into position.

The Providus zord swung its massive fist towards the Time Jet. The fist smashed against the Time Jet and throttled the vessel forward. The Time Jet accelerated closer to the Time Gate, and disappeared through the gate, leaving a trail of energy vapor in its wake.

One-by-one, Providus slammed the Time Jets through the Gate. The five zords flew in tight formation and throttled backward through the time stream.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 2006AD**_

A wormhole opened in the sky and the five zords streaked through, swooping down into the atmosphere.

"Time Flier," Time Red commanded as the Time Flier hovered past their location.

The Time Rangers leapt onto the Flier. The Flier carried them over their five Time Jets, traveling at frightful speeds. Thankful he was not afraid of heights or prone to airsickness, Time Red and the others jumped off the Time Flier and fell into their cockpits.

"3-D Formation…" Time Red commanded as he grasped control levers to his side. "Time Robo, Beta!"

The Time Jets stayed in tight formation and flew across the streets as they streets, Each zord started to reassemble and combine into a giant, blue-armored zord. The 3-D formation completed as the Rangers activated their zord: the Time-Force Megazord, Mode Blue.

The Rangers stood in the zord's central cockpit. Five tall rods extended from the floor to the Rangers' waist levels. The Time Rangers reached forward and grabbed the Lancers.

"Flier Magnum," Time Red commanded. The Time Flier transformed into a blaster that the Megazord gripped in its hand.

The Megazord flew downward towards the criminal while firing blue energy lances. The blasts exploded against the villain, but MadBlast stood his ground. The villain lifted his gattling arm and opened fire.

Bullets exploded against the Megazord, knocking the massive robo from the air. The Time-Force Megazord crashed hard against the streets below. The villain waited until the Megazord rose to its feet before opening fire again, spraying bullets across the Megazord's armor with bursts of spark.

Takku spoke through the Rangers' helmet communicators. "Rangers…I have found a new formation for your zords. Time Jet Gamma.

"Changing formation," Time Red commanded as Takku uploaded information onto his visor. "Time Jet, Gamma!"

The Megazord disassembled and started to change shape into different formations. The Time Jets merged into a new form: Time Jet Gamma, a larger jet created by all five zords.

The massive jet swooped around and opened fire with pulse blasts that exploded against the villain. MadBlast returned fire with his gattling arm, but the Time Jet flew through a climbing evasive pattern to dodge the blow.

"Gamma Tornado!" Time Red commanded.

The Time Jet started to fly in circles, creating an artificial cyclone that started to push the villain backward.

Time Jet gamma burst forth from the tornado and opened fire with pulse blasts that exploded against the villain.

"Changing formation," Time Red commanded. "Time Robo, Alpha!"

The Megazord disassembled and started to change shape into different formations. The Time Jets merged into a new form: Time-Force Megazord, Mode Red. The red-armored Megazord landed on the streets and faced off with the criminal.

"Time-Force Megazord Saber!" Time Red commanded. A worm hole opened in the Megazord's chest. A saber speared forward from the portal, and the Megazord wrapped his hand around the saber's handle.

Time Red pulled the Control Lancer free from the ground. The lancer flashed with energy and formed a miniature replica of the zord's saber. He handed the saber off to Time Pink. "This is your job, Jenn…"

She grasped the weapon.

Time Pink thrust the saber forward as the Megazord copied her movements. Two shorter blades opened from the Megazord saber like the hands of the clock, forming 90 degree angles with the sword.

"Time-Force Megazord Saber!" Time Pink shouted. "Final Strike!"

The zord's saber energized and swung horizontally. The blade slashed through the criminal, but did not kill it. The attack caused a chain reaction within the villain that caused the insides of his body to freeze. The criminal fell backwards, and a large explosion surrounded the villain as he shrunk down to less than a foot tall, and entered a state of cryogenic suspension.

The Time Rangers leapt down to the streets below. Time Pink held a badge over the criminal. The badge flashed with golden light and formed a transparent cylinder that wrapped around the creature.

They powered down their armor.

Jenn looked at the capsule she held in one hand. She held the brace in her other hand. She tightened her grip on the brace. The others stood silently behind her.

**To be continued…**


	5. Battle Casino

**Battle Casino**

The dimly lit room was clouded with cigarette smoke. A circular mat sat in front of the two-level room like a stage. Tables and chairs were arranged to face the stage. Tables were laid out on the first level on wide, ascending steps like an amphitheater. Each table was covered in red cloth.

The top level of the room was a balcony reserved to only privileged guests.

Waitresses in skimpy-black swimsuits and bowties carried trays of drinks and poker chips to guests at the tables. The spectators were all dressed formally in suits, ties, and dresses. They gave the waitresses large sums of money for the chips.

Two curtains on either side of the stage opened as two men stepped forward, drawing cheers and jeers from the crowd.

A topless Japanese man wore black pants and had a small red flag on his waist. An American in a black karate gi approached the other side of the mat. He had a white flag.

Guests of the club placed their bets on who they thought the winner of the match would be by sliding a colored card onto the front of their table.

A bald referee moved towards the center of the stage and signaled the combatants to begin. The opponents charged at each other and started launching fierce volleys of blows and kicks. The audience reacted to every strike that connected.

The red-flagged fighter spun with a series of roundhouse and tornado kicks, forcing his opponent backward.

The red-flagged topless man spun a heel kick that smashed across his opponents face. Red pushed forward with a flurry of punches that slammed against White's chest. The white-flagged man fell onto the mat.

Red slammed an axe kick down on his fallen opponent's ribs.

* * *

A woman sat on the couch crying within the rangers' office. Sion was the only one there. He brought a glass of tea into the main room and set it on the coffee table for her.

"Here," he said, in his typical, meek voice. He sat down on a chair next to her. "It'll be okay."

"It's just…" she wiped her tears with a Kleenex. "It's just I worry about my husband so much. And to have him missing…oh, I told him he shouldn't have gone to that dreadful casino."

"They'll find your husband," Sion said of his friend. "You'll see him again in no time. I'm certain of it."

* * *

Lucas pulled a van up to the side of the road near the casino. He was in the driver's seat next to Jenn, while Damien and Wes sat in the back. Damien straightened the tie on his suit.

"This is the place," Lucas said. They watched various people walk in and out of the city casino. The search for the lady's husband, Richard Pohlar, had led them to the casino.

Jenn narrowed her eyes. "I don't like the looks of this casino."

Damien slid the van's side door open. "Don't worry about it," he said as he stepped out of the van, a smug grin on his face. "I am all over this."

* * *

Richard Pohlar sat on the upper balcony level next to a tall man concealed in a thick black cloak. What remained of Pohlar's life savings, inflated by several nights' worth of his favored contestants winning matches, sat in a suitcase between them. The cloaked man had the same amount of money in the pot.

They were the only spectators on the balcony.

The cloaked figure sat completely still. Pohlar, a skinny businessman with wire-frame glasses, was practically jumping out of his chair while cheering his fighter below.

Two opponents slammed into each other on the bottom level sparring mat. Their knuckles were thick with blood.

Pohlar routed for the red-flagged fighter, who clearly had the upper hand. The topless Japanese man slammed a jumpkick upside his opponent's already battered face. Red grabbed the man by the back of his head and pulled him down, slamming a knee against his face.

The white-flagged fighter collapsed to the ground.

Pohlar was at the edge of his seat, his eyes opened wide. He was going to win.

The referee stepped onto the mat and looked down at the fallen combatant. The ref raised his hand and was seconds away from declaring the match a victory. But an unseen force struck like lightning and snapped across the fighter's head before slamming against his gut. The red-flagged man collapsed to the ground and slipped from consciousness.

White slowly rose from the floor, his eyes narrowed with confusion. The ref raised the man's hand and announced him the winner.

"No!" Pohlar shouted. "What happened…no, no!"

The cloaked man slowly rose and turned towards the balcony exit as two waitresses picked up his winning. His face was completely concealed by his own bulky cloak. "I hope you enjoyed your stay in my casino…" he said in a low, cold voice.

"Please," Pohlar pleaded. "Just give me one more chance."

"There are no second chances," the cloaked owner said as he moved towards the balcony exit.

Pohlar followed, pleading every step of the way.

* * *

Damien ignored the next round of fighters as he walked across the bottom level. He did take the time to check out several of the several of the scarcely clad waitresses, some of them even wearing thongs.

The 21st century was looking a little better every day, Damien thought to himself as he walked towards a bar in back. Damien sat on the bar and ordered a scotch, but he had no intention of drinking it. Jenn would kill him.

"I was wondering if you could help me with something," Damien asked the bar tender while leaving a generous tip.

The tip disappeared under the waiter's quick hand.

Damien placed a picture of Pohlar down. "I'm looking for this man. He owes me some money."

"He just got done on the top a few minutes ago," the bartender said. "Haven't seen him since."

Damien knitted his brow with confusion. "The top?"

"Heavy winners are taken to the top balcony and face off with one-on-one bets against the owner," the bartender explained. "Like I said, this guy lost, so the odds of him having your money probably aren't that great."

Two men in black suits approached Damien from behind. They grabbed him by his upper arms and started pulling him away from the bar.

"Hey," Damien protested, but he let the men carry him off.

* * *

Jenn, Wes, and Lucas watched from the van as the casino doors opened. The suited men carried Damien outside. Damien struggled to break free from their grasp.

Jenn sighed. It was time for Plan B. "Looks like Damien didn't make it."

Lucas looked back to Wes. "Wes, you're up."

Wes put on his sunglasses and straightened his shirt collar. He wore a stylish sports jacket and cleanly pressed slacks. His shirt was partially unbuttoned down to the center of his chest. A lopsided grin spread across his face. "Tell Damien I'm sorry when he gets here."

Damien broke free from the men and slammed an uppercut against one of their guts.

Wes stepped out of the van and started walking towards the entrance. "Hey!"

Wes grabbed Damien by the shoulder and pulled him around. Wes slammed a backfist against his friend's face. Damien stumbled back from the blow as Wes pressed forward. Wes slammed a spinning sidekick against Damien's chest, knocking him off his feet.

The van skid up to the curb as the side door opened. Damien scrambled to his feet and hopped in the van as its screeched off down the road.

The guards turned and started back towards the entrance.

"Wait!" Wes said as he ran over to them. "I want in. I want a fight."

* * *

Damien handled his injured jaw. Lucas looked back to him. "Wes says he's sorry."

"The hell he is," Damien said as he pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth. He started to rub his knuckles. "Those guys back there I was fighting? The guards? I don't think they were human."

Jenn arced an eyebrow. "Do you think it was the Londaraz Family?"

Damien shook his head. "I don't know. But something wasn't right about them."

* * *

The guards shoved Wes through a curtain entrance. He was pushed into a small, concrete room filled with various fighters: a straw-hat Chinese monk who carried a bamboo staff, a topless African American with straps wrapped around his fists, a bald man with jagged teeth, a seven-foot powerhouse with a red bandana, and a punk with purple hair were among the fighters that stood out the most.

They stared at Wes with quizzical looks on their faces.

"I'm Max Powers," Wes said, introducing himself.

The other fighters were not impressed. Except for one.

The seven-foot man stepped closer to Wes and looked him up and down. A slight grin spread across his face. He winked at Wes and slapped him on the side of the arm while walking away.

Wes swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat.

* * *

The cloaked man, a few suited guards, and skimpy waitresses walked into a small side room, which had a single table and some chairs. Pohlar stumbled off his feet and fell to his knees, still pleading.

He looked up, and opened his eyes wide with fear. He scrambled backward while staring at the casino owner. The cloak was dropped, and Pohlar faced a tall, muscular monster.

The creature's rusty brown skin was like a thick suit of hide. His arms had crab pincers instead of hands. Its head was small and purple, with two tentacles draped downward over the chest. His eyes were yellow and beady.

"So…" the criminal said. "What is it you think you can do for me? Hm?"

* * *

Sion draped a blanket over the wife, who had fallen asleep on the office couched.

The door opened as the other rangers walked in.

"Guys…" Sion said as he walked over to him. "Is it really the Londaraz?"

Jenn looked down at the woman and arced an eyebrow. "Is she really asleep."

Sion grinned sheepishly. "I made sure she would be when I gave her some tea…so we could work."

"Yes," Jenn said as she walked towards the office computer and Takku. "At least we think so. Takku, access prisoner files. Have any of them been convicted of organizing illegal Battle Casinos, or rigging professional fights?"

"One," Takku said as he uploaded the information onto the computer. "Prisoner number AG-11M. Bura'kavice. Convicted on counts of fraud, kidnapping, illegal gambling and battery. Sentenced for 20 years."

"It's going to be a lot longer now," Jenn said. "Let's go."

* * *

The rangers filled Wes in. Wes stood underneath a stairwell in the rear of the building, close to where all the fighters were kept. He was wearing a black gi and read headband

"But how can we be sure this is Dorunero's gang?" he asked into the brace.

"We're sure," Jenn said. Wes scoffed, but Jenn ignored him. "See if you can find him."

"I will," Wes said as he lowered his brace.

"Red!" the ref called to him from the curtain.

Wes took a deep breath and walked out to the mat. Even on the lower level, the stank of cigarette smoke nearly choked him. He scanned the audience, looking for any sign of a Londaraz criminal.

The ref signaled the next fighter to step onto the mat. Wes opened his eyes wide with shock for two reasons.

First, Wes's "opponent" was a skinny businessman with visible fear. The man was practically shaking, and his hands were held in a weak defense that lacked form. The man obviously had no training.

Second, the man was Richard Pohlar.

The ref signaled the fight to begin. Pohlar screamed and charged forward while frantically swinging his fists. Wes dodged each blow with ease while stepping backward. The ranger grabbed the man's wrist and twisted his arm while leaning in close to his ear. "Mr. Pohlar right?"

Pohlar paused his struggle, startled to hear his name. Wes kicked the man's legs out and slammed him on the ground while leaning down to him. "Your wife hired me to find you…You have to get out of her."

Pohlar panicked and pushed Wes off. They rose back to their feet, and Pohlar charged forward, swinging his punches like a mad man. Wes ducked and dodged each blow, resisting his impulse to hit back.

An unseen force whipped forward and hit Pohlar hard in the gut. The man keeled over in pain and collapsed. Wes knitted his brow with confusion.

* * *

Wes moved to one of the wings leading away from the stage. Pohlar was on the ground, pleading with the tall villain concealed in a cloak. "Please…give me one more chance…"

"Possibly," the cloaked man said. "It depends on how much more amusement I can get from you. Remember…your life belongs to me now."

Wes knitted his brow with confusion. What the hell were they talking about?

"Please," Pohlar pleaded again. "I promise, I-"

"Your promises are worthless," the cloaked criminal said. "You promised to make me money…and yet…nothing."

Two of the casino owners' men lifted Pohlar by the arm and slammed him hard against the wall. They smashed their fists against his gut and dropped him to the ground. The guards and owners walked away and left Pohlar in the wing.

Wes walked over to the man and helped him up. The man was badly injured, and had trouble keeping his balance. He shook his head.

"It's the Londaraz, isn't it?" Wes asked quietly.

Pohlar looked at Wes quizzically and tried to back away. His balance was off because of the head injury he suffered from the blow on the mat.

"Relax," Wes said. "I'm here to help. Just tell me what happened…"

Pohlar swallowed and shook his head. "Nothing happened, that's the whole point. I'm a nobody. My wife…I can barely afford to keep a roof over our heads. She deserves better. I started playing here. I started winning…"

A slight grin curled up the man's lips. "Started to win a lot. Then _he_ called me up to his level. I lost everything. I couldn't go home…once he saw how desperate I was…"

Pohlar shook his head. His body slumped down as he slipped from consciousness.

Wes knitted his brow. He checked the man's pulse and breathing to make sure he was alive and still breathing. He sighed. "Well that was…less than clear."

Wes saw the red bandana in the man's hand. The teen took the bandana into his own hand and tightened his fist. Whether his story was clear or not, the man needed help. And the best way to help was to take the casino down.

* * *

An hour passed. Jenn walked towards the casino's entrance. She wore a classy, tight-fitting dress and carried a purse slung over her shoulder. She wore the most expensive diamond earrings she could replicate.

The suited man at the entry way let her inside, and an usher led her towards the nearest table. The guards at the entry way did not notice three young men sneak towards the back of the building with rope.

* * *

A bartender finished pouring a drink. He went into the cellar behind the bar area to get more beer bottles when he tripped over Lucas feet. Lucas slammed his fist against the fallen man to knock him out.

Light shimmered around the man as his holographic disguise dropped. It wasn't a man at all. It was one of Dorunero's droids.

The guys took their position at the bar. They each wore a black tuxedo.

Sion started subtly pouring a sleeping drug into as many drinks as he could. If a fight broke out, the rangers didn't want any witnesses. They wanted to keep their identities secret.

While the guys set up, Jenn took a seat close to the sparring mat. A waitress gave her a complimentary stack of three chips. She ordered about $250 worth more.

A Chinese man in a gold kimono stepped onto the sparring mat. Wes stepped onto the stage next. He exchanged a silent nod with Jenn.

The bald-head ref singled the two fighters to step forward and face each other. They snapped into fighting stances as the match began.

Wes's opponent wasted no time. The man lunged forward with a punch.

Wes sidestepped and knocked the man's arm away while snapping a roundkick. Wes's kick slammed hard against the man's chest. Wes jumped and slammed a hook kick across the man's head, whipping his body around.

The man stumbled backward, but managed to stay on his feet.

Wes jumped forward with an inner crescent kick that slammed across the man's head, knocking him to the ground.

Jenn watched, her face emotionless because she did not want to stand out in the crowd. But she could not help but be impressed.

The battle tournament continued. Wes dispatched of his fist two opponents with ease, meaning Jenn had racked up quite a stack of winnings.

Most people in the casino bet on Wes' opponent when they saw the man. It was the seven-foot-tall giant that had a red bandana wrapped around his head. Jenn bet all her winnings on Wes.

Wes gulped back his anxiety when he looked up at his opponent. The giant pounced forward.

Wes knocked his opponent's arms aside and slammed a volley of punches against the giant's chest, leaning into each powerful blow. The giant merely smiled down at Wes.

"Oh come on…" Wes said. "Fall down." He spun forward with a reverse sidekick that barely phased the man.

"Fall," Wes said as he leaned in and slammed an elbow against the man's chest.

The giant grabbed Wes by the arms and lifted him off his feet. Wes swung his legs up, kicking the man upside the head, and chopped his legs back down against the sides of the neck.

The giant winced and dropped Wes.

"Fall," Wes said, kicking the legs out from the man. "Fall," he said again, smashing the back of his fist across the man's face. "Fall!"

Wes smacked a punch against the man's face. The opponent crashed backward.

"Thanks," Wes said quietly.

A guard with shades walked to Jenn's table and leaned down to her. She suppressed a grin when she was invited to the top balcony to bet against the casino owner.

She walked up to the balcony and took a seat next to the cloaked owner. Money and chips were placed on a table between them.

The cloaked criminal nodded to Jenn. "You may make first bet."

Jenn nodded graciously and bet on Wes.

* * *

Wes' opponent was armed with a bo staff.

Wes and his opponent circled around each other while switching chances. Wes' opponent was searching for weaknesses in defense and movement. Wes was just switching stances for show. He fought on instinct.

The man spun forward while swinging his staff towards the ranger. Wes hopped over the staff and snapped a roundkick as soon as he landed. The man blocked the kick with his staff, and swung the other end of his staff towards Wes's head.

Wes outer blocked the blow and moved in low. He sprang to his feet and snapped a jump sidekick towards his opponent's face.

The kick was an inch away from the man's face when an unseen force wrapped around Wes's ankle and flipped him backward in the blink of an eye.

Wes slowly rose to his feet, his eyes and the eyes of his opponent were opened wide with shock. Wes's opponent shook his head, dismissing the strange event, and charged forward while swinging his staff.

Wes was taken off guard, and the staff slammed against his body, cracking against his ribs, and smashing across his face.

Above, the cloaked man nodded approvingly. "It looks like your favored opponent is losing his edge."

"We will see," Jenn said.

Back on the mat, Wes caught the man's staff with his left hand. He was over getting beaten. The ranger slammed his elbow through the staff, snapping it in two. He sidestepped and slammed a sidekick against his opponent's chest.

Wes followed with a hook kick, but a v=blur of motion knocked his foot away and slammed the ranger to the ground, knocking the wind out from him.

On the balcony, the cloaked criminal rose to his feet. "Well…it was an interesting match."

"It's not over," Jenn said, her eyes still fixed on the battle below.

The ref was standing over Wes while counting to ten. Wes slowly rose to his feet while tightening his fists. Then everything clicked. The ref. It was the only way.

Wes grabbed the ref and flipped him off his feet. The ref crashed against the ground and tumbled backward as his holographic cloak dropped. It was the headless body of the criminal.

Wes's opponent screamed and ran in shock.

Above, Jenn ripped the cloak off from the owner. It was the villain's hovering head. "It's over, Bura."

"Guards!" the villain shouted.

Two junk droids slammed to the ground behind the criminal as Damien stepped forward.

The head hovered over the balcony and combined with its body below. The five rangers regrouped.

The criminal looked frantically in every direction. All his guards were down, and every customer and waitress in the casino was asleep thanks to Sion slipping sleeping powder into every drink.

The villain realized who he was facing. "Time Ranger…" the villain cursed. He ran for his life.

The rangers chased after him.

They ran along a row of columns that held up a pedestrian bridge above. The villain skid to a halt and turned to face the rangers.

They activated their braces.

"Chrono Trigger!" They slapped their braces' activation panels. Streams of data swirled around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms, their backs towards the villain when they landed.

The five Rangers snapped around to face the villain while shouting their names.

"Time Red!"

"Blue!"

"Green"

"Yellow!"

"Pink!"

They thrust their badges forward. "Time Ranger!"

"Bura!" Time Red shouted, his badge still extended as he and the others took a few steps forward. "You're under arrest for breaking the Temporal Accords."

Lightning-quick tentacles thrashed out and exploded against the Rangers' armor, knocking them backward onto the ground. Time Red rolled to the side and rose in a crouched position.

"Vector Search," Time Red commanded. His visor locked onto the two tentacles whipping out from the monster's body. "Vector saber!"

He downloaded his double-bladed Vector Saber and aimed it at the villain while pulling the trigger. A blade of crimson power blasted the tentacle off of the villain with bursts of spark.

The criminal took a step back in shock.

Time Red energized his blade and swung the weapon down towards the villain's head. The criminal separated his head before the blade could connect. The head thrashed small tentacles across the Red Ranger's armor, knocking him onto the ground.

Time Red tumbled backward before rising to his feet and regrouping with the others. The head dashed past them while thrashing across their armor with bursts of spark. The head curved around and shot back towards the Rangers for another pass.

"Vol Sniper!" Time Pink shouted as she blasted the head from the air.

"Chrono Launcher," Time Red commanded.

The five Rangers combined their weapons into a bazooka. Time Green, Time Blue, Time Yellow, and Time Pin stood at the weapon's sides, while Time Red grasped the weapon from behind.

"Target…locked on," Time Red said as his visor zeroed in on the villain. "Chrono Launcher, fire!"

The bazooka shot an energy pulse that streaked towards the criminal. The blast exploded against the head, causing a chain reaction that shrunk the head. The shockwave blasted the criminal's body backward, tearing off his patch.

The criminal's body grew giant.

Time Pink leaned down and held her badge over the shrunk head. The badge flashed with golden energy and imprisoned him in a cylinder.

Time Red activated his communicator. "Takku!"

"Yokai," Takku answered. The droid activated his temporal transceiver. "3-D system, stand by for launch!"

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 3006AD**_

A platform of five Time Jets surfaced at the end of the runway. The platform rotated and lined the red-trimmed jet into position with the Time Gate.

The Providus zord swung its massive fist towards the Time Jet. The fist smashed against the Time Jet and throttled the vessel forward. The Time Jet accelerated closer to the Time Gate, and disappeared through the gate, leaving a trail of energy vapor in its wake.

One-by-one, Providus slammed the Time Jets through the Gate. The five zords flew in tight formation and throttled backward through the time stream.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 2006AD**_

A wormhole opened in the sky and the five zords streaked through, swooping down into the atmosphere.

"Time Flier," Time Red commanded as the Time Flier hovered past their location.

The Time Rangers leapt onto the Flier. The Flier carried them over their five Time Jets, traveling at frightful speeds. Thankful he was not afraid of heights or prone to airsickness, Time Red and the others jumped off the Time Flier and fell into their cockpits.

"3-D Formation…" Time Red commanded as he grasped control levers to his side. "Time Robo, Beta!"

The Time Jets stayed in tight formation and flew across the streets as they streets, Each zord started to reassemble and combine into a giant, blue-armored zord. The 3-D formation completed as the Rangers activated their zord: the Time-Force Megazord, Mode Blue.

The Rangers stood in the zord's central cockpit. Five tall rods extended from the floor to the Rangers' waist levels. The Time Rangers reached forward and grabbed the Lancers.

"Flier Magnum," Time Red commanded. The Time Flier transformed into a blaster that the Megazord gripped in its hand.

"Flier Magnum!" Time Red shouted. "Final Strike!"

The magnum energized and shot a lance of blue energy that pierced through the creature, causing a massive explosion that sent a chain reaction along the DNA strands of the villain's body. The criminal shrunk and entered a state of suspended animation.

* * *

Dawn came. Customers in the casino slowly awoke as their vision blurred back into focus. They were confused, to say the least.

Pohlar climbed to his feet, his legs wobbling. He looked up to see his wife walking towards him. She wrapped his arms around him in a hug.

"I'm sorry…" he said. "Everything I…" He glanced down to see a suitcase of money at his feet.

* * *

Wes walked out of the casino and put on his shades. He smiled with pride and stretched while walking off.

**To be continued…**


	6. Time Shadow

**Time Shadow**

Dorunero and Lira were asleep as Gien stood alone in the jail's main chamber. The droid preferred not to think about what the bloated alien fish and young humanoid female did in that bed together, for fear of overloading his neural net.

Gien scanned over the various suspended prisoners held along the shelfs. He slowly lifted one of the cylinders of a prisoner and carried the prisoner to the cryogenic matrix. He placed the cylinder on the matrix platform and slid the chamber shut.

The matrix filled with steam as strands of energy twirled inside. Genetic material unraveled and reassembled The prisoner returned to his normal size and revived.

The criminal's name was Sandoora. His oblong shaped head had a large, red eye slit on each side. His mouth and jagged teeth were so large, they looked like they were consuming his entire face. His body was covered in mostly blue armor, with straps of grenades along his chest and legs. He carried a double-chamber plasma rifle.

Gien leaned in towards Sandoora while the criminal was still adjusting to reanimation. "We are in the 21st century," he said quietly, not wanting to wake Dorunero or Lira. "You are to go out into this world…and find something for me…"

Sandoora grinned. The terrorist had a feeling he was going to enjoy the 21st century very much.

* * *

Damien and Sion were hunched over a coffee table. The rangers' eyes were open wide with awe and desire. Damien smiled. "That's the biggest slab of meat I've ever laid eyes on…"

A raw piece of meat was lying on the table. Jenn walked over and wrapped it up in white paper. She stuck the meat in a small cooler and walked away. "You're drooling," she said to Damien.

Damien's face turned slightly red as he wiped his mouth. Sion pointed at his friend and laughed. Jenn handed the cooler for Wes to take outside where Lucas was waiting.

Lucas was probably the most busy out of all of them, Wes knew. His driver services were well requested by the elderly, along with certain members of the upper class who occasionally felt the need to be driven around by someone who was not their chauffer, and not in a limo.

Wes walked down the outside steps towards the small parking lot. He noticed Lucas loading a few more boxes into the rear of the van. Lucas suddenly winced in pain and grabbed his chest. Pain ripped through his body and him to his knees.

Wes hesitated on the steps. His face grew pale. Even though they had only known each other for a few short months, Wes hated seeing his friend in such pain.

Lucas was dying of a rare disease that even the 31st century had no cure for.

Wes took a deep breath and walked down the steps. He threw on his best smile and handed Lucas the cooler. "This should be the last of it…"

Wes casually leaned against the van. "So, Lucas…" Wes cleared his throat. "Do you think we should tell Jenn and the others? About…you know…"

"No," Lucas said without making eye contact as he shut the van's rear doors. He started walking towards the driver-side door. "I have about a year left. I'll tell them when it gets much closer to…time."

Lucas got into the van and drove off. He was scheduled to make a delivery to the 3rd TOTAL R & D Lab, not knowing that a certain terrorist named Sandoora was on his way to the same place.

* * *

The 3rd TOTAL R & D Lab was in the middle of an industrial/business district on the city's far north side. The building was an architectural work of art with a wide, marble-floored lobby.

A Starbucks was off to the side in the lobby for visitors. The main desk was a massive U-shaped center in the middle of the lobby. Escalators and Elevators lined the outer walls. A four-sided television cube hung from the ceiling. On each screen, the cube displayed the latest business news.

The current broadcast was a bout a merger with INET that was recently made official after months of behind-the-scenes work.

Sandoora crashed into the main lobby along with a group of junk droids called Zenitto. The criminal aimed his weapon towards the ceiling and fired two rounds. People inside ran and screamed in panic towards the nearest exit.

The lobby reception triggered a silent alarm, and Sandoora shot her down.

Sandoora walked past the lobby desk towards the nearest elevator shaft. He ripped off the elevator doors and leapt inside, landing on the basement level. He ripped open the elevator door and walked into a concrete hallway lined with pipes. The terrorist led the Zenitto forward through the hall as a group of security guards started to pour in from the corridor from up ahead.

The guards opened fire, but their bullets bounced harmlessly off of the terrorist.

Sandoora did not break his pace as he walked past the soldiers while using his rifle as a club to bat them each aside, smashing their skulls and cracking their bones.

The terrorist turned to a group of various switches and electrical devices along the wall that he did not recognize. Except for a single switch. Sandoora flipped the switch and activated the research lab's lock-down procedure.

* * *

Gates and doors slammed shut outside the building, along its windows, and in front of its doors as alarms blared.

Lucas narrowed his brow when he heard the concern. Listening to his instincts, Lucas left his ran and rolled beneath a barricade door before it slammed shut.

* * *

Various scientists scrambled around the main lab room while they tried to figure out why the research lab was sealing itself.

The main lab door blasted open. The scientists ducked for cover as debris scattered across the room. Sandoora and a group of junk droids entered the room. The terrorist waved his rifle and waved it past the scientists. "Don't move unless your told. Your facility is under my control."

Zenitto grabbed the scientists and started pushing them against the walls.

* * *

Lucas ducked for cover in an underground parking lot connected to the basement. He hid between two cars as a group of Zenitto walked by, their joints squeaking with every move.

Lucas activated his communicator. "This is Lucas," he whispered. "Some of Dorunero's people have taken over the 3rd TOTAL R & D Lab. I'm assuming they have hostages."

* * *

The other rangers were at their office when they picked up Lucas's signal. Jenn spoke to Lucas through her communicator. "Try to stay low," she told them. "If there are hostages involved, we can't risk them getting hurt. We'll be there as soon as we can."

Sion noticed a look of concern in Wes's eyes. "What is it, Wes?"

Wes shook his head. "Nothing…it's just my father owns that lab group. I doubt he's too happy right about now."

* * *

Zenitto shuffled the hostages into a lecture hall near the rear of the lab. Sandoora walked towards them with his gun raised. "Now…The Lambda 2000? Who is working on it?"

The scientists were frozen with fear. None of them spoke. They only watched as the villain paced back and forth in front of them, his gun pointed forward. "Well?" the terrorist asked again. "Answer me!"

One of the scientists slowly stepped forward. "I, I, uh, what do you want?"

"Lambda 2000," the villain said while aiming his rifle straight at the scientist's face. "Make me some. Now."

"It, it, well, uh, will, um, take a few hours to synthesize the proper-"

"Move!" Sandoora shouted and fired a plasma blast that exploded against the ceiling.

The scientist hurried off along with an escort of junk druids.

No one noticed Lucas eavesdropping in the ventilation system.

* * *

Granted he was only a cadet who specialized in tactical driving and piloting, Lucas had learned a great deal about infiltrating various compounds in the 31st century. Entering the ventilation system of a 21st century lab paled by comparison.

Lucas activated his communicator after eavesdropping. "Guys…they're looking for something called Lambda 2000..."

"Lambda 2000?" Wes asked.

"I have no idea what it is," Lucas said. "But that's what they want."

Lucas heard Jenn speak next. "Takku…what do you know?"

Back in the office, Takku processed the information through his central data core. The droid found a reference and downloaded all information into his central neural processor. "Lambda 2000 is a power source developed for fueling construction projects. The material was classified by the military during the first two decades of the 21st century.

"What are they planning to do with it? Build a weapon?" Sion asked over the communications net.

"We'll have to find out," Jenn said. "Takku, see what else you can learn about Lambda 2000. Lucas, keep watching the hostages."

* * *

Wes and the others crouched behind a row of bushes outside the lab. Jenn activated her communicator and asked for an update from Lucas. They heard his response through the comm frequency.

"The criminal has two scientists with him. Junk droids are holding the rest of the hostages in a lecture hall of some kind," Lucas said. "It looks like the main two scientists are being forced to make this Lambda 2000 material."

Jenn lowered her communicator and stared at the building ahead. "So there are two target groups…Great," she said sarcastically. "This is going to be difficult."

"Especially with all the entrances sealed," Sion said.

Wes nodded. "If we try to break in, we'll set off every alarm in the place."

"Come to the parking lot entrance," Lucas said from his end. "I'll open the doors there."

"Be careful," Jenn said.

* * *

Sandoora watched the two scientists within a small lab room in the complex. The scientists stood over a small circular lab station. Above the station, a column packed with various pieces of electrical equipment slowly descended.

Slowly…

Slowly…

Sandoora shot a round from his gun against the wall. The blast exploded against the wall, and the scientists practically jumped out of their shoes.

"Faster," Sandoora said. "Or I will order my druids to execute all your little lab-coat friends."

* * *

The other four Rangers were in their armor. They activated their Vol weapons and moved quietly along the outside of the building, hurrying down a slope that led to the lower-level garage where Lucas was supposed to let them in.

They waited for what felt like forever.

Time Pink sighed with frustration. "What's taking him so long?"

Time Yellow lifted his communicator to signal Lucas, but Time Pink stopped him. "Don't. We're not sure what he's doing in there. We might expose him."

Time Red looked to the garage door. A thought struck him: What if the illness had struck Lucas? What if he was unconscious from pain, or worse, dead? He could have suffered an attack from the illness and been ambushed at a moment of weakness. "I'm so stupid. I should have thought of that before…"

Time Red sprang to his feet. "Guys, we have a problem…"

"What are you talking about?" Time Pink asked. "Get back down before your head is blown off."

The parking lot door started to rise open. Time Pink kept low as she led the other towards the door. "Okay…we have to time this just right. No mistakes."

* * *

The two scientists manipulated their controls. A laser beam carved the last few edges from the small orange crystal on the lab station in front of them. Their work was over.

One of the scientists lifted up the crystal, which looked like a miniature spiked mace, and placed it in a containment tube. Hands shaking, the man handed the tube to Sandoora.

The terrorist grabbed the containment tube and lifted his gun at the scientists. "Thank you for your help…now I'm afraid I'll have to dispose of you…"

The two scientists cowered backward, but had nowhere to run. The door was to the side of them, but the terrorist could easily gun them down before they reached the exit. They considered crashing through the shaded window, but they were four stories above ground.

Meanwhile in the lecture hall, Zenitto raised their blade blasters at the rest of the hostages.

Sandoora smiled with delight. He loved his job.

Time Pink and Time Green suddenly kicked in the door to the room. They fired bursts of pink and green energy that exploded against the criminal's arm, to knock the gun away from the hostages, and exploded against his armor with a burst of spark.

Sandoora crashed backward and smashed through the window, shattering glass as he plummeted towards the ground below.

Meanwhile, Time Red and Time Yellow smashed in the door to the lecture hall. Time Red and Time Yellow opened fire with blasts that exploded against the droids, ripping them apart.

Time Pink's voice came over their comm line. "The Meta escaped through a window. Regroup with me and Sion."

"Jenn," Time Red asked. "Can you get through to Lucas?"

"No," she said. "I'm not sure why."

Time Red cursed beneath his helmet before running off.

"Hey," Time Yellow shouted after him. "Where are you going?"

"Go on without me," Time Red called back.

Time Yellow shook his head and sighed. "I'll never understand people in this century…"

"Damien!" Time Pink's voice said firmly.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Time Yellow said as he ran off.

* * *

Time Red ran down the corridors of the basement with his communicator raised to his faceplate. "Lucas…Lucas!"

Time Red mentally kicked himself. He should have told the others about Lucas's illness. Or at least, he should have tried talking Lucas into telling the others.

* * *

Sandoora ran through a plaza paved with rough stone blocks, making the entire plaza look like it was carved and sculpted from a mountain. Trees dotted the landscape, which was nestled between two buildings.

Sandoora ran towards a wide, sweeping staircase. Time Green and Time Pink stepped onto the staircase and aimed their weapons forward at the terrorist. The villain backtracked and turned back towards the building, but Time Yellow blocked the villain's path.

"Landaraz," Time Pink said as she stalked down towards the terrorist. "What were you planning to do with that crystal."

"How in the nine hells should I know?" Sandoora said. "I was just supposed to steal it."

The villain aimed his weapon at her and fired.

* * *

Time Red smashed in a door and entered another dimly-lit hall within the basement. He turned to his left, and his breath caught in his throat at what he saw. A tall maintenance door was open. On the other side of the door, Time Red saw a body laying on the ground unconscious.

It was Lucas's jacket.

"No…" Time Red whispered as he slowly walked forward. "Please don't be dead…"

A junk droid suddenly crashed to the ground from behind a corner. Time Blue stepped out from behind the corner and wiped his hands against each other while staring down at the droid and nodding in approval. The Blue Ranger picked up his jacket, which was strewn over a fallen drunk droid as bait.

"Lucas!" Time Red shouted.

"Wes," Time Blue answered with his normal, calm demeanor as he walked towards the Red Ranger. "Sorry it took so long. I-"

Time Red breathed a loud sigh of relief and leaned against the wall. "Man, Lucas, I thought you were…" Time Red shook his head and smiled beneath his helmet. "Well, if you're done playing hide and seek with the junk droids, we should get going."

"Hide and seek?" Time Blue asked as they moved off. "What's that?"

"You're kidding, right?" Time Red said with disbelief as they moved closer towards the garage door.

"Yes," Time Blue said.

* * *

Sandoora hurled two grenades at the three Rangers. The grenades exploded with massive shockwaves that blasted them backward as explosions tore across their armor.

Sandoora extended his rifle towards the fallen Rangers and stalked forward.

"Ha!" a voice shouted from the air.

The villain turned to see Time Red and Time Blue leap onto the scene. The two Rangers extended their badges. "Time Rangers!" they shouted as the badges flashed with gold light.

"Sandoora," Time Blue said as they started taking steps towards the villain. "You're under arrest for breaking the Temporal Accords. Prepare for judgment."

Time Yellow rolled his eyes beneath his helmet. "He watches to much holo-vision."

Sandoora fired a volley of rounds from his gun. The Rangers rolled aside as explosions from the weapon sparked around them.

Time Blue rolled into a crouched position and armed his two Vector Sabers, which were connected to form a single double-bladed sword. "Vector Sabers!" Time Blue shouted as he aimed the weapon towards Sandoora and fired a blade of blue energy that exploded against the monster with a burst of spark upon impact.

Time Red sprang towards Sandoora.

"Vector Red!" he shouted as the blades energized with crimson energy. "Chrono Strike!" Time Red held his blades at a 12 o' clock and 3 o' clock position and slashed the weapons across the criminal's armor with streaks of power. The blades sparked on impact and knocked the villain backward.

The other three Rangers armed their Vol weapons and fired bursts of energy that exploded against the terrorist. The crystal was blasted free from the criminal's possession and rolled out of sight.

The villain stood his ground and ripped off the cryogenic patch. With the patch torn, the villain's DNA started to flux and expand every cell in his body. The terrorist grew giant.

Time Red activated his communicator. "Takku!"

"Yokai," Takku answered, the Japanese word for 'roger.' The droid activated his temporal transceiver. "3-D system, stand by for launch!"

As always, Takku wondered who the strange man was who sent them Time Jets when they were needed.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 3006AD**_

In the north section of the city sat a circular command complex with several rectangular buildings webbing out from the main compound. A yellow and black giant-sized robo stomped around the perimeter of the compound near a tall gate shaped like an upside down 'V.' A runway connected the gate to the complex.

A lone figure sat in the observatory that looked out upon the runway. He answered Takku's call.

A platform of five Time Jets surfaced at the end of the runway. The platform rotated and lined the red-trimmed jet into position.

The Providus zord swung its massive fist towards the Time Jet. The fist smashed against the Time Jet and throttled the vessel forward. The Time Jet accelerated closer to the Time Gate, and disappeared through the gate, leaving a trail of energy vapor in its wake.

One-by-one, Providus slammed the Time Jets through the Gate. The five zords flew in tight formation and throttled backward through the time stream.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 2006AD**_

A wormhole opened in the sky and the five zords streaked through, swooping down into the atmosphere.

"Time Flier," Time Red commanded as the Time Flier hovered past their location.

The Time Rangers leapt onto the Flier. The Flier carried them over their five Time Jets, traveling at frightful speeds. Thankful he was not afraid of heights or prone to airsickness, Time Red and the others jumped off the Time Flier and fell into their cockpits.

"3-D Formation…" Time Red commanded as he grasped control levers to his side. "Time Robo, Beta!"

The Time Jets stayed in tight formation and flew across the streets as they streets, Each zord started to reassemble and combine into a giant, blue-armored zord. The 3-D formation completed as the Rangers activated their zord: the Time-Force Megazord, Mode Blue.

The Rangers stood in the zord's central cockpit. Five tall rods extended from the floor to the Rangers' waist levels. The Time Rangers reached forward and grabbed the Lancers.

"Flier Magnum," Time Red commanded. The Time Flier transformed into a blaster that the Megazord gripped in its hand.

Sandoora fired a round of blasts that exploded against the Megazord and knocked the Flier Magnum out of the robo's hands. The terrorist fired another volley of rounds that exploded against the Time-Force Megazord with bursts of spark.

The Megazord was forced back a few steps. Time Pink looked out the zord's view port and tensed at what she saw. The Megazord was surrounded by piles of the villain's grenades.

"Wes-"

The grenades exploded at once, decimating several city blocks and causing massive explosions that pounded against the Megazord and ripped across its armor with blinding flashes of spark and flame. The Time-Force Megazord collapsed onto a building.

Sandoora stalked towards the fallen zord with his weapon aimed forward.

"Time Flier!" Time Blue shouted.

The Time Flier streaked down from the air and fired lances of blue energy that exploded against the villain and knocked him backward.

"Changing formation," Time Red commanded. "Time Robo, Alpha!"

The Megazord disassembled and started to change shape into different formations. The Time Jets merged into a new form: Time-Force Megazord, Mode Red. The red-armored Megazord landed on the streets and faced off with the criminal.

"Time-Force Megazord Saber!" Time Red commanded. A worm hole opened in the Megazord's chest. A saber speared forward from the portal, and the Megazord wrapped his hand around the saber's handle.

Sandoora opened fire as the Megazord stalked forward. Blasts exploded against the zord's armor, tearing through its hull and causing massive fractures.

Time Red pulled the Control Lancer free from the ground. The lancer flashed with energy and formed a miniature replica of the zord's saber. Time Red thrust the saber forward as the Megazord copied his movements. Two shorter blades opened from the Megazord saber like the hands of the clock, forming 90 degree angles with the sword.

"Time-Force Megazord Saber!" Time Red shouted. "Final Strike!"

The zord's saber energized and swung horizontally. The blade slashed through the monster, but did not kill it. The attack caused a chain reaction within the creature that caused the insides of his body to freeze. The criminal fell backwards, and a large explosion surrounded the villain as he shrunk down to less than a foot tall, and entered a state of cryogenic suspension.

The Time Rangers leapt down to the streets below. Time Pink held a badge over the criminal. The badge flashed with golden light and formed a transparent cylinder that wrapped around the creature.

* * *

The Rangers did not notice Gien walk across the battle site. He laughed quietly to himself as he retrieved the crystal.

* * *

Wes pulled Lucas aside later that day while the others were inside the office, getting ready to eat. "Let's tell them," Wes said. "Maybe they can get you back to the 31st century. You could take one of the Time Jets back. Hell, we'll tie you onto the damn thing if we have to."

"Wes," Lucas said. He shook his head and looked away. "Even if I go back…I'll still die soon."

"Lucas…" Wes said.

Lucas turned and walked up the steps back towards their building, and Wes followed. They walked into the office, where Damien and Sion were goofing around the table while helping Jenn set up dinner.

Sion lifted a bottle of barbeque and smelt it as he smiled. He looked to Damien. "Damien…can I drink this?"

"No you can't," Damien said. "That's sauce." Damien had always bragged about his skills of old-fashioned barbequing. Today was his day to prove it.

Sion's face turned slightly red. "Oh…"

Jenn brought a steak to the table. She was about to cut into it when Damien stopped her and took the knife. "No, no, no…You just bring the dishes."

Jenn arced an eyebrow as Sion laughed. "Yeah," the young alien said. "If Jenn cuts, it will look like a crime scene."

Jenn stalked towards him. Sion laughed and hurried around the table to avoid her. "Oh, come on, it was a joke."

"A bad one," Jenn said.

"No, a crime scene," Sion said. "You know, like a mess."

"I get it," Jenn said. "It's just a bad joke. She scooped up a spoonful of mashed potatoes and aimed at Sion. "Now…do you want me to show you a mess?"

Lucas crossed his arms over his chest and watched alongside Wes. He turned to Wes. "I want things to stay like this. I don't want to tell them."

Wes nodded. He understood.

* * *

Gien paced around a dark warehouse on the outskirts of the city. A group of Zenitto were gathered around a large table. They used welders and other tools to assemble pieces of a golden-armored robot together.

Gien quietly laughed to himself as he watched the junk droids work. The villain carried the Lambda 2000 crystal in his hand.

* * *

Lira sat in a stolen lawn chair that reclined backward. She wore her pink hair loose, matching the color of her pink bathing suit. She was in the prison, but junk droids had set up an artificial backdrop of the sky and clouds. Two of the junk droids held heat lamps by the woman.

Dorunero looked at her with utter disbelief. "Why don't you just _go _to a beach resort."

Lira adjusted her sunglasses. "Because all the boys stare."

The power suddenly went out.

Gien flipped the light switch back on as he walked into the room, polishing his gun arm.

"Gien," Dorunero scolded. "You've been acting like this for days. Why?"

Gien tilted his head. "I just wanted to make a point. You are on edge. You need out of this tower. You have not left prison since we first arrived."

Dorunero scoffed and pulled a cigar out from his belt.

"He's right for once," Lira said as she moved forward and grabbed Dorunero by the hand. "Come with me to a beach resort. It was your suggestion. You can wear a holo disguise."

She ran her fingers along his hand. He realized at that moment that other activities had not happened since he first arrived in the 21st century. "Fine. We will go."

Gien laughed quietly to himself after they left. He needed equipment in the prison to install the crystal into his creation and bring it to life.

* * *

Sion sat at his computer within the rangers' office during the morning. The other rangers stood behind them while drinking coffee from their mugs. Takku had uploaded information about Lambda 2000 for the rangers to see.

Sion read the information. "Lambda 2000 is a stepping stone to making Zeta 3, an energy source used until 2325."

Takku was on the desk next to the computer. "Zeta 3 will not be invented for another decade. But I am sure the Londaraz Family plans to make Zeta 3 with the stolen Lambda crystal."

"The question is why," Jenn said.

"Well," Sion said, "it was initially used for rescue work."

Wes scoffed. "I doubt that's what Dorunero has in mind."

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 3006AD**_

Alex, the real Alex, sat behind the holographic control board of the Providus observation deck. He was alone and had the lights dimmed down. Yet he still wore sunglasses, which in the 31st century were just a pair of black lenses that fit over the eyes. Alex, who looked identical to Wes except for his slicked back hair, wore a suit of white that looked like plastic, but had the flexibility of fabric and the strength of steel.

He activated an image on the view port ahead of him.

A zord resembling the 31st century equivalence to the wedge shaped stealth bomber flew across a holographic recreation of the 21st century's Angel Grove at night. The zord flew vertically through dense city blocks and curved around corners with great ease.

The zord shot straight up towards the air and reconfigured, transforming into its warrior mode. The zord armed two double-edged blue blades and landed on top of a skyscraper. It folded its arms across its chest.

The image rotated and shimmered away, revealing the zord standing on the roof of a holographic chamber, hanging like a bat.

Alex looked at the zord with a grim look on his face. The Time Shadow was ready.

* * *

The ringing alarm woke Damien at 7:30 a.m. the next morning. He lifted the alarm clock and threw it against the wall to silence it.

"Whoops," he said sarcastically while slowly climbing out of bed.

"You're going to break the clock someday," Lucas said. He rubbed the back of his neck as he climbed from bed.

"So?" Damien said.

"So the first time you sleep in?" Wes said as he ran his hand across his disheveled hair. "Jenn will break you."

"Good point," Damien said as the boys walked into the main office room.

Jenn and Sion were already awake and dressed in the office. Jenn carried a stack of fliers in her hand. She walked over to the boys and started handing them the fliers.

"Here," Jenn said. "We have to start handing these out. We're almost broke. Again."

"Can't we eat breakfast first?" Damien said.

"No," Jenn said. "Now get dressed."

* * *

A large hanger rested underground beneath the 3rd TOTAL R & D Lab. A cluster of complex lab equipment sat on a second-level balcony that looked out upon the hanger and its single occupant: a massive tank of almost zord-sized proportion.

The lengthy tank was covered with thick, black armor. Powerful cannons were mounted on top of the tank, and smaller cannons were attached to its side. A pair of drills extended forward from the tank's bow. The vehicle's name was painted in white: "Reimei."

Mr. Collins stood behind a group of technicians on the balcony control deck. "Is the crystal ready?"

"Almost, sir," one of the lab workers said.

The recent meta-criminal attack had turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The Zeta 3 crystal was the perfect, safest energy source for the giant tank. They had tried to find a power source for the tank for years, but nothing ever worked. Until now.

"Let me know as soon as your done," Collins said. "And bring in the pilots. Now."

Collins' dream was finally coming to fruition. It was only a matter of time.

* * *

The rangers split up to hand out fliers advertising their business. They had few customers as of late, and needed to do a better job promoting themselves.

Wes' martial arts classes provided the only a steady source of income. Sion and Lucas provided cash sporadically. But Jenn could spend more than a week on a single client, and Damien's self defense classes were still non-existent.

Wes walked across a plaza in front of a high-rise business building. He held a stack of fliers under his right arm. He practically dropped the fliers and stopped in his tracks when he saw someone standing in front of him. The person had almost a ghost-like aura around him.

Beneath the ghostly aura was a figure identical to Wes.

Wes opened his eyes wide with shock, and time seemed to slow down around him. He stared into eyes that matched his own, and a face that matched his own. The fliers slipped from his hand and blew through the air in slow motion.

Within the same block, the other rangers had similar experiences.

Jenn faced an image of herself. The ghostly double was in a crouched position, looking up towards the roof of a high-rise building.

Nearby, Lucas turned a corner when he saw someone collapse to the ground. The stranger wore a dark, black jacket and clutched his chest in pain. Lucas leaned down to help the man. He opened his eyes wide with shock when he saw that the man was a reflection of himself.

Damien noticed a ghostly image of himself sitting on a concrete bench in the center of the plaza. Time seemed to slow down around him.

Sion saw himself on the other side of a glass door. The door slowly opened.

* * *

Takku recharged on the perch within the rangers' office. The droid's eyes were closed as if he was sleeping. Then five communication signals from the rangers disturbed his rest. He snapped his eyes open as the rangers spoke through their communication frequencies.

"Takku, I just saw-"

"Something strange just-"

"Takku, wake up!"

"Hey Takku, I'm either going crazy or-"

"Takku, run a scan for temporal-"

"Wait!" the droid practically shouted. "I can't understand you when you all talk at once. What happened, Jenn?"

"Some kind of temporal anomaly," Jenn explained. "We saw versions of ourselves, and time seemed to slow down around us. Meet us out here and run quantum scans."

* * *

Gien walked across a tall rooftop with his newly constructed war droid. The war droid was made of bulky golden armor and powered by a Zeta-3 crystal. The droid, named Nova, had a single red eye and gun turrets for arms. The turrets extended forward like twin prongs, with small missile ports wrapped around the wrist area.

Gien softly, a hint of insanity in his voice. "Time to do what you were built for. Make me proud."

Gien ripped a cryo patch off the droid's armor. Tearing the patch caused a chain reaction in the droid, fueled by the Zeta-3 crystal. Nova's body expanded and grew giant.

Nova stomped forward. Missile turrets rose from the droid's arms like blisters. Volleys of missiles shot forward in streaks of smoke, slamming through city buildings like comets with massive explosions of spark and fire that pulverized concrete and steel.

* * *

Citizens ran in panic towards the nearest shelter. The five Rangers were already powered up in their armor as they regrouped and ran against the crowd. The Rangers looked up to see the massive droid continue its advance.

The war droid opened fire with golden pulse blasts that tore through buildings with massive eruptions of smoke, flame, and debris.

Gien cheered his creation on. He loved seeing humans fall at the power of a droid.

"That thing is huge," Time Yellow said.

"That's obvious, Damien," Time Blue said.

Time Red activated his communicator. "Takku!"

"Yokai," Takku answered. The droid activated his temporal transceiver. "3-D system, stand by for launch!"

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 3006AD**_

Ornate towers of steel and technology extended into the orange-tinted city skies as hover cars flew through the air. Some towers held small parks of freshly cut green grass, while others served as business observatories.

In the north section of the city sat a circular command complex with several rectangular buildings webbing out from the main compound. A yellow and black giant-sized robo stomped around the perimeter of the compound near a tall gate shaped like an upside down 'V.' A runway connected the gate to the complex.

…

…

Nothing happened.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 2006AD**_

The Rangers stared up at the sky, waiting for the wormhole and Time Jets to appear. Time Green shook his head. "They should be here by now."

"No…" Time Pink said quietly. She looked to Time Red. "The damage from our last fight may not be repaired yet."

The giant Machine slammed its arm through a building, pulverizing it and sending rubble crashing to the streets below. The Rangers rolled out of the way to avoid getting flattened.

The Rangers rose into crouched positions while taking cover and looking up at the Machine. They heard Takku continue to try and call for the zords. The droid had hovered all the way to the battle scene and hung in the air above the Rangers.

"The Time Jets are not coming," Takku said.

"Well then what are we supposed to do?" Time Yellow asked, frustration heavy in his voice.

Nova blasted through another building, pulverizing the structure and sending debris scattering across the streets. The Time Rangers ducked for cover as rubble smashed around them.

"What the hell is this thing?" Time Red practically shouted.

Takku hovered down to their level. "That war droid is powered by a Zeta-3 crystal. Now we know what Dorunero wanted from the research lab."

"I just want to know how to stop it," Time Red said.

The ground suddenly started to shake. The five Rangers heard massive treads roll across the streets in the distance. They looked up to see a massive tank roll onto the scene. It was the Reimei.

Nova turned its attention to the approaching weapon.

The giant tank rolled forward on massive treads. The Reimei rolled to a stop and raised its top-mounted cannons.

The two pilots inside flipped switches while communicating with their base. The cockpit was cramped and dimly lit. Switches and panels lined the cockpit. The two pilots sat at the two forward stations, each equipped with manual hand grips.

"Charging main cannons," the co-pilot reported. "Weapons core has a stable reaction."

"Firing main cannon," the pilot said as he grasped his control levers and triggered the cannon.

Lances of red energy shot forth and exploded against the Machine with bursts of spark.

The weapons' technicians cheered as they watched the battle from the safety of their lab. Their creation was working.

The Rangers watched below as Takku scanned the tank. "Impossible…that tank is fueled by a Zeta-3 crystal too. The people in this time should not have access to the Zeta-3 yet."

Reimei opened fire with a volley of blasts from its side-mounted rail cannons. The blasts exploded against Nova, but the war droid stood its ground and stomped forward towards the tank.

"We have to help," Time Red said. He activated his brace,. "Chrono Trigger…Vol Cannons."

The Rangers armed their Vol Cannons and aimed the weapons upward towards the giant Machine. They opened fire with a volley of multi-colored energy pulses that exploded against the Machine.

The Reimai aimed its cannons again.

"Charging main cannons," the co-pilot reported. "Weapons core has a stable reaction."

"Firing main cannon," the pilot said as he grasped his control levers and triggered the cannon.

Lances of red energy shot forth. This time, the villain erected an invisible deflector shield. The shield flickered with golden energy as the tank's blasts ricocheted off of the barrier. The blasts backfired and exploded against Raimai, blasting the tread out from under the tank and flipping it onto its side.

The Machine armed its cannons and pointed forward. Lances of golden energy shot forth and pierced through the tank. Raimai's reactor overloaded and exploded with a massive sphere of flame, demolishing the tank.

The shockwave slammed the Time Rangers backward and sent them skidding across the pavement as rubble crashed down around them.

Takku hovered over to the Rangers as they climbed back to their feet. "Rangers! Are you alright?"

"No," Time Yellow grumbled as he raised his Vol weapon.

"Let's hit 'im again," Time Red said as he and the others aimed their Vol Cannons up at the golden war droid. "Fire!"

Multi-colored pulse blasts exploded against the droid, but did not slow it down. The war droid slowly lowered its cannon towards the Rangers. Gien's laughter echoed from above.

Time Pink narrowed her eyes beneath her helmet. "Gien…"

Before the droid could fire, a shadow started to cover the sun like an eclipse. The shadow darkened the streets below. Rangers and villains looked up, not sure what was happening. Then the eclipse revealed itself to be a time portal.

A V-shaped ship blasted through the portal. It was the Time Shadow.

The V-shaped Time Shadow streaked through the dark skies and swooped towards the Machine. The zord opened fire with a pair of wing-mounted pulse cannons, each firing lances of pale-blue energy that exploded against the Machine with bursts of spark.

The Machine tried to lock its blasters onto the zord, but could not.

The zord circled around the Machine while firing pulse blasts, each blast exploding against the Machine while the artificial monster tried to get a lock on its target.

The zord climbed upward and twisted while in mid-flight. Time Shadow started to change shape and form a warrior mode. The black zord armed two double-edged blue blades, and its eyes pulsed with pale-blue energy.

"What is it?" Time Blue asked.

Takku hovered near the Rangers. "That…is the Time Shadow."

The machine twisted its arm and fired a volley of golden torpedoes that shot through the air towards Time Shadow. The zord hovered upward as the torpedoes exploded on the streets below with massive bursts of spark and flame.

Time Shadow shot forward towards the Machine. The zord opened fire with shoulder-mounted missile launchers. The missiles exploded against the Machine, forcing the monster back a few steps.

The war droid opened fire with golden energy blasts that exploded around Time Shadow. The zord leapt upward and ran alongside a building as explosions erupted across the streets.

The attacks collapsed the building Gien was standing on. The droid crashed through a nearby roof and fell onto the floor of a warehouse.

Time Pink watched the fall and sprinted towards the warehouse. "Come on," she said to the others.

Gien rose to his feet and looked up to see the five Rangers surround him.

"Gien," Time Pink said as she stepped forward. "What are you up to?"

The villain laughed, a hint of madness in his voice. "I'm just having a little fun. Isn't that allowed?"

"No," Time Red said as he armed his Vector Sabers.

Gien tossed a handful of nuts and bolts onto the floor. The bolts formed a group of junk droids that marched towards the Rangers, their limbs whining with every movement.

The Rangers charged forward to attack the grunts. They attacked in lightning-quick movements, hacking through the junk droids, each blow a blur of motion as spark flew in every direction.

Time Red slashed through soldiers, his blades tearing apart metal and thrashing through circuitry. The Red Ranger slammed a sidekick against a grunt's chest and looked to his left while parrying a blow. Time Red swung his blades upward, tearing through the soldier as he turned to his right, thrashing his blades across another soldier's body.

A grunt swung its saber down towards the Red Ranger's head. Time Red parried the blow and chopped the droid's head off with a single sweep of his blades.

Time Green and Time Yellow ran side by side towards Gien. The golden droid arms his hand blasters, his fingers forming gun barrels. Gien opened fire with explosive-tipped bullets. The bullets exploded against the two Rangers' armor with bursts of spark, knocking them backward.

Back on the streets, Time Shadow slashed its saber outward in an 'x' pattern. The blades sparked on impact while ripping through the war droid's armor and cutting through circuitry.

The golden machine stomped backward while opening fire with a full barrage from its cannons. The blasts exploded against Time Shadow with a burst of spark, but the zord pressed forward.

Time Shadow combined its two blades into a double-bladed Vector Saber. The saber energized with pale-blue power. The zord chopped downward twice diagonally, the energized blade searing through the war droid like cutting through paper.

The war droid's circuits overloaded and exploded, buckling armor and tearing wiring. The war droid crashed backward and exploded with a final burst of spark and flame.

Gien saw his droid's destruction from within the warehouse.

Time Red aimed a Vector Saber towards the villain. "Looks like your fun is over."

"On the contrary," Gien said as he whirled around, teleporting away in a blur of golden light and energy.

* * *

The rangers returned to their civilian forms and ran outside, just in time to see the Time Shadow return to the future through the time portal.

Sion's eyes opened wide with awe. "That Time Shadow was amazing…"

Takku hovered over towards them. "I've scanned the wreckage of the Reimei. It came from the 3rd TOTAL R & D Lab."

Lucas looked to Wes. "That's one of your father's labs."

Wes shrugged defensively. "I didn't know he was building a giant tank."

He silently cursed. Would he ever be able to escape his father's influence?

* * *

Mr. Collins clapped his cell phone shut hard. He was walking through the halls of a high-rise office along with one of his men. He had just learned of the Remei's defeat. Needless to say, he was not happy. The Remei had cost a small fortune.

Collins' assistant tried to break the awkward silence through small talk. "So…how is your son doing? Wes, isn't, it?"

"Wes is…" Collins' throat tightened. "I have no son."

They entered a small conference room. A familiar person stood from the table. It was William Cranston, although the few friends he had left still called him Billy.

"I heard about the Reimei," Cranston said.

"The Reimei is part of the past," Collins said. He had started constructing the Reimei when INET was just a small shop in Billy's garage. "I'm looking forward to the future."

"I'm glad to hear it," Cranston said as he opened a briefcase on the table. He pulled out various files. "I have the first proposition of our partnership."

Collins took one of the files and opened it. The files contained blueprints and data on various handheld assault weapons.

Cranston explained. "These meta-criminals are just that. Criminals. The city needs a non-conventional police force, armed with non-conventional weapons, to deal with these criminals."

A smile crossed Collins' face. "I'm listening…"

**To be continued…**


	7. Written in Stone

**Written in Stone**

Gien walked into a secret chamber within the prison tower. Only he knew of its existence. Dorunero had no idea about the potential locked within the chamber, called the X Vault. The X Vault held only the most dangerous and ruthless meta-criminals.

Each one of the small prison capsules was labeled with yellow and black cross-bone warning signs.

The droid laughed quietly to himself. "So many to choose from…"

* * *

The rangers were back at their office. Takku was perched on his interface panel next to the computer. Information about the Time Shadow flashed across the screen.

"The Time Shadow was a project with the Inter-City Police," Takku explained. "Its flight and combat programs are automated. Not as sophisticated as a droid, but still self-sufficient and self-operated."

Jenn arced an eyebrow. "If it was an Inter-City project, why didn't I ever hear about it?"

"It wasn't exactly public knowledge," Takku explained. "The Time Shadow was designed specifically to combat and neutralize the Nova robot, and prevent temporal distortions from growing out of control."

"Is that what went on at the plaza?" Wes asked. "When we saw duplicates of ourselves?"

"Yes," Takku explained. "The Zeta-3 crystal was not supposed to be invented yet. The Reimei was never supposed to be created. The Temporal Axis tilted, causing distortions around each of you."

Lucas narrowed his brow. "You said the Time Shadow…was designed specifically for coming back and fighting Nova. Stopping the distortions."

Damien opened his eyes wide in shock. "Wait…are you saying you knew this would happen? That Dorunero would escape to the past, and we'd end up here?"

"Yes," Takku explained. He did not elaborate.

"How?" Damien asked.

"History," Takku explained. "But the Reimei and Zeta-3 creation was not supposed to happen."

"You've only said that six times," Damien said, his voice thick with frustration. "Now what are you saying about us?"

"Damien…" Sion said, trying to calm his friend down.

"Tell me," Damien said firmly.

"Time is delicate," Takku said. "Some events, some parts of the past, were supposed to be altered. Dorunero was supposed to come to the past and you were supposed to follow to stop him. But something else is wrong. The Temporal Axis is off balance. Something is changing time, and the result could shatter our future."

"_We're_ changing time," Damien said, frustrated with his own confusion. "Every time we morph. Right?"

Takku said nothing.

* * *

Citizens walked across the promenade on their way to and from work, while others sat at park benches, reading the newspaper and enjoying the bright, sunny day. Birds sang in the trees, and the flowers looked especially vibrant.

It all changed.

A handful of egg-shaped devices rolled across the promenade. Each was striped with red, yellow and green.

A man reading the newspaper adjusted his glasses and looked down at the small egg-shaped device. It flashed with a sting of electricity before exploding with a massive burst of flame.

Each egg exploded in spheres of fire, decimating the landscape and tossing bodies in every direction.

A meta-criminal stalked through the flames. The tall villain was covered head to toe in strange armor. The left half of his armor was colored white, and the right half was tinted blood-red. His head was flat and v-shaped. Yellow eye slits were just above a slender mouth filled with fangs. A trio of thick, jagged blades extended from each of the villain's shoulders. He carried a thick techno sword slung over his left shoulder. The thick blade was nearly as tall as the villain himself.

His name was Psyca.

The killer stalked across the ravaged promenade, laughing with insanity. He reached down and lifted a wounded, burned man by the throat. The man's legs dangled just above the ground as he struggled to breath.

"Human…" Psyca said. "Should I kill you? Or let you live? Such decisions. Difficult to make."

Psyca sighed and snapped the man's neck before tossing the limp body aside.

* * *

Back at the office, news of the promenade attack flashed across the TV screen. Helicopter news' crews were capturing footage from above.

Jenn looked to the droid. "Takku…"

Takku accessed his database and uploaded information onto the rangers' computer. Data on the criminal displayed across the computer monitor.

"That's a Hell's Gate prisoner!" Takku practically shouted.

Wes looked to Jenn. "Hell's Gate?"

Jenn nodded. Her face turned slightly pale. "Hell's Gate. It's the nickname for the X-Vault, a cryo-chamber filled with the deadliest meta-criminals. The vault must have been in the prison tower Dorunero escaped here with."

Takku displayed data on this particular prisoner. "Hell's Gate number X-07. Psyca. Convicted of murdering more than 8,500 people on four different planets."

"Let's go," Jenn said as she moved towards the door.

The other followed, except for Damien, who lingered behind. The pro fighter had a concerned look on his face. His gaze was downward.

Sion stopped and looked towards his friend. "Damien…let's get going."

Damien sighed with frustration and reluctantly followed. The news about temporal distortions still weighed heavily on his mind. How could he fight when doing so might destroy his future?

* * *

Corpses littered the ground at the meta-criminal's feet. He looked at his work and gave himself a nod of approval.

He heard a noise above him. The noise was quite annoying. He looked up to see the news helicopter hovering in the air above. The villain laughed and extended his sword towards the helicopter. His sword also functioned as a single-barreled blaster.

Psyca fired a bolt of golden energy that exploded through the helicopter. A twisted heap of smoking metal, the helicopter's remains smashed against a nearby skyscraper with a final explosion of smoke and flame.

The villain laughed. It was good to be free. Perhaps a stroll through the park would be next.

"Stop!" a voice shouted from above. The villain looked up to see Time Pink and the other Time Rangers on the Time Flier.

The Rangers leapt from the flier and landed on the promenade with their backs towards the criminal. The five Rangers snapped around to face the villain while shouting their names.

"Time Red!"

"Blue!"

"Green"

"Yellow!"

"Pink!"

They thrust their badges forward. "Time Ranger!"

Time Red slowly stepped towards the monster while extending his badge. "Psyca…you're under arrest for breaking the Temporal Accords…"

"Ahhh…" the villain said. "How cute."

Time Yellow knitted his brow beneath his helmet and charged forward to attack. "Vector Sabers!"

The Yellow Ranger armed his twin swords and dashed towards the criminal. But Psyca extended his gun and fired a golden pulse blast that exploded against Time Yellow's armor with a burst of spark, knocking him backward.

Time Green and Time Blue armed their own sabers and sprang through the air to attack. Psyca easily lifted his sword cannon and blasted them from the air with a pair of well-aimed shot, each blast exploding against the two Rangers' armor on impact.

Time Pink rolled to the side of the villain and swung her Vector Saber forward. She triggered the weapon, firing a pink energy blade that shot towards Psyca. Psyca batted the energy blade aside, sending it shooting back towards the Pink Ranger and exploding against her chest.

The Pink Ranger crashed backward against the ground.

"Jenn!" Time Red shouted as he ran to her side. The Red Ranger stood between Time Pink and Psyca as the criminal stalked forward towards them.

Time Red armed a double-bladed Vector Saber and charged forward to attack. He swung the blade towards the villain's head, but Psyca parried the blow with ease. Time Red spun and quickly swung his saber back around towards the villain's head.

Psyca blocked the blow and twisted the saber downward. A gun erected from the villain's chest and opened fire at near point-blank range. Explosive bullets sparked against Time Red's armor and knocked him backward, sending him tumbling across the ground.

The other Ranger regrouped around Time Red as he rose to his feet. "Vol weapons!" The Rangers activated their Vol weapons and aimed the cannons forward. "Fire!"

They shot a wave of multi-colored pulse blasts that speared towards Psyca. The villain batted the blasts aside with ease while laughing.

Time Blue looked to Time Red. "Our energy attacks don't work against him."

"Then we'll have to move in close," Time Red said.

Psyca tossed an egg-shaped bomb that exploded in midair in front of the Rangers, creating a massive shockwave that knocked them backward, sending them skidding across the ground as explosions sparked across their armor.

Psyca turned and walked away from the promenade.

The villain stalked onto the street, his weapon casually slung over his shoulder. He walked past a car parked along the curb. The driver was on his cell phone when Psyca nonchalantly tossed a bomb through the car's open window. The bomb exploded, destroying the car with a massive eruption of flame and smoke.

Psyca stalked forward.

The Rangers regrouped and leapt over parked cars while jumping towards the villain. They slammed their bodies against the criminal and tried to tackle him to the ground. But Psyca thrust his arms outward, knocking the Time Rangers away.

Time Blue tumbled across the street and rolled into a crouched position. H looked up just in time to see Psyca spit a stream of fire forward. The fire stream splashed across Blue Ranger, exploding against his armor and knocking him backward.

Psyca pulled out a handful of egg-shaped bombs and tossed them around the Rangers. The bombs exploded with rolling waves of fire that tore apart the streets, sending the Rangers flying off their feet as secondary explosions sparked across their armor.

The criminal tossed another handful of grenades that exploded around the Rangers, sending them crashing backward as their armor forcibly powered down.

"Hmph." the villain turned and started walking away from the scene. "You're boring me now."

Takku hovered over to the Rangers. "Are you alright?"

The rangers slowly rose to their feet, except for Damien. Takku warned the group. "Psyca is attacking the city again. He needs to be stopped."

"Let's go," Jenn said.

"Wait." Damien still sat on the ground, his brow wrinkled with concern. "We can't just…we can't just keep fighting like this…"

Damien rose to his feet and tightened his hands into fists. He glared at Takku. "I'm not going anywhere, until you tell us what happens to us."

"Damien-" Sion started to say.

"No," Damien said firmly. "Don't you get it? He knows exactly what we're going to face. He _knows_. Where and where. How and when. What if something…what if something happens to our future?"

"Stop," Jenn said firmly as she stood in front of Damien. She stared down at him, strong but sympathetic. "You're not the only one upset about this. But we have a job to do."

Lucas lowered his gaze. He understood why Takku could not tell them what their fate was. "Wes can't know his future. It would pollute the timeline…the same thing is true about us," he said softly.

Sion knitted his brow. "But what if…what if Damien is right. What if we only make things worse."

A massive explosion sounded in the distance. It was Psyca.

"Rangers!" Takku warned. "Psyca is attacking!"

Lucas rolled his hands up into fists and stared off at the explosions in the distance. He looked back to Damien. "Only now matters, Damien. These people need us now…we can't let worrying about the future keep us from saving lives."

Lucas ran off towards the distance and armed his brace. "Chrono, Trigger!" Strands of data energy circled around him as he morphed into his Blue Ranger form.

A slight smile crossed Jenn's face as she watched Time Blue run off. "So this is history?" she said quietly. "Knowing how the future turns out won't change why we're here. To fight Dorunero."

Jenn ran towards the distant battle scene while arming her brace. "Chrono, Trigger!" Strands of data energy circled around her as she morphed into her Pink Ranger form.

* * *

Time Blue swung his double-bladed Vector Saber down towards Psyca while landing. Psyca blocked the blow, and the two opponents pressed their blades hard against each other.

"My, my," Psyca said mockingly. "You're really back?"

Psyca knocked Time Blue's saber away and thrashed the Ranger across the chest, blade sparking on impact and whipping the Blue Ranger backward.

The villain swung his blade down towards the fallen Ranger. But Time Pink suddenly thrust her Vector Saber out and blocked the blow before kicking the meta-criminal backward.

* * *

"Damien…" Sion said quietly. "I love being a Time Ranger. With all of you. And so…"

Sion armed his brace and charged towards the distance. "Chrono, Trigger!" Columns of data energy circled around him as he morphed into his Green Ranger armor.

"Sion…" Damien said sadly, watching hi friend run off.

Wes smiled and turned to Damien. "Looks like you've been rebuked, huh."

Damien shot to his feet. "This isn't funny! You have no idea what this is like for us."

Wes's face became serious. "Don't I? I actually think this is the one thing we all have in common. Worry. I don't know what's going to happen in the future. I don't know if I'm doing will help, or make things worse. Hurt people I care about.

"But I do know I'm not going to be one of those people who just sits back and worries. I'm going to fight. Not for our distant future…For our tomorrow."

Wes charged towards the battle in the distance. "Chrono, Trigger!" He slapped his morpher's activation panel. Columns of energy circled around him as he morphed into Time Red.

Damien slumped to the ground, his fists clenched. His thoughts drifted to home. His home. The future. But the rangers' words echoed in his mind. Fight for tomorrow, huh? Damien slowly rose to his feet. He thought of his friends. Sion, Jenn, Lucas, and Wes. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, a fresh look of determination in his eyes.

"Alright…" he said quietly with a slight smirk. "Fighting it is, then."

* * *

The meta-criminal blasted the four Rangers backward. The villain placed his foot on the fallen Green Ranger's chest and lifted his thick blade. "Die."

"Ha!" Time Yellow shouted as he leapt onto the scene as if from nowhere. He held out his elbow and slammed against the villain, knocking him backward.

Time Yellow helped Time Green to his feet as the Rangers regrouped.

"Bastards!" Psyca opened fire with a volley of rapid blasts that exploded against the Rangers' armor, knocking them off their feet.

Time Yellow rose in a crouched position and tightened his fists as the villain stalked forward. He looked to his teammates. "I have an idea. Get ready to fire your Vol weapons."

"But Damien-" Sion started to protest.

"Trust me," Time Yellow said.

Psyca opened fire with another volley of blasts that exploded around the Rangers with a burst of sparks. Time Yellow separated from his teammates and rolled aside.

Time Red and the others armed their Vol weapons and aimed the cannons at Psyca. The meta-criminal laughed, knowing that the Rangers' weapons posed little threats. The villain did not notice that Time Yellow had taken cover behind a row of bushes off to the side.

The Yellow Ranger held his cannon firmly in hand.

"Fire!" Time Red shouted as the four Rangers fired pulse blasts. Psyca used his sword to deflect the four blasts. But Time Yellow rose from the side and opened fire with a pulse of yellow energy. The blast exploded against Psyca with a burst of spark.

Time Red and the others fired again. Their blasts exploded against the criminal, knocking the villain off his feet.

The criminal's cryo patch was torn off by the blasts. His DNA exposed, the villain's body expanded and grew giant.

Time Red activated his communicator. "Takku!"

"Yokai," Takku answered, the Japanese word for 'roger.' The droid activated his temporal transceiver. "3-D system, stand by for launch!"

As always, Takku wondered who the strange man was who sent them Time Jets when they were needed.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 3006AD**_

In the north section of the city sat a circular command complex with several rectangular buildings webbing out from the main compound. A yellow and black giant-sized robo stomped around the perimeter of the compound near a tall gate shaped like an upside down 'V.' A runway connected the gate to the complex.

A lone figure sat in the observatory that looked out upon the runway. He answered Takku's call.

A platform of five Time Jets surfaced at the end of the runway. The platform rotated and lined the red-trimmed jet into position.

The Providus zord swung its massive fist towards the Time Jet. The fist smashed against the Time Jet and throttled the vessel forward. The Time Jet accelerated closer to the Time Gate, and disappeared through the gate, leaving a trail of energy vapor in its wake.

One-by-one, Providus slammed the Time Jets through the Gate. The five zords flew in tight formation and throttled backward through the time stream.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 2006AD**_

A wormhole opened in the sky and the five zords streaked through, swooping down into the atmosphere.

"Time Flier," Time Red commanded as the Time Flier hovered past their location.

The Time Rangers leapt onto the Flier. The Flier carried them over their five Time Jets, traveling at frightful speeds. Thankful he was not afraid of heights or prone to airsickness, Time Red and the others jumped off the Time Flier and fell into their cockpits.

"3-D Formation…" Time Red commanded as he grasped control levers to his side. "Time Robo, Beta!"

The Time Jets stayed in tight formation and flew across the streets as they streets, Each zord started to reassemble and combine into a giant, blue-armored zord. The 3-D formation completed as the Rangers activated their zord: the Time-Force Megazord, Mode Blue.

The Rangers stood in the zord's central cockpit. Five tall rods extended from the floor to the Rangers' waist levels. The Time Rangers reached forward and grabbed the Lancers.

"Flier Magnum," Time Red commanded. The Time Flier transformed into a blaster that the Megazord gripped in its hand.

A shadow started to cover the sun like an eclipse. The shadow darkened the streets below. Rangers and villains looked up, not sure what was happening. Then the eclipse revealed itself to be a time portal. A V-shaped ship blasted through the portal.

Time Red spotted the zord. "The Time Shadow!"

"We must need it," Time Pink said.

Time Shadow fired darts of pale-blue energy from its wing mounted cannons. Psyca leapt aside as the blasts exploded around him. The criminal opened fire, shooting lances of golden energy that exploded against the zord.

The zord climbed upward and twisted while in mid-flight. Time Shadow started to change shape and form a warrior mode. The black zord armed two double-edged blue blades, and its eyes pulsed with pale-blue energy.

Time Shadow formed its Double Vector and swooped down towards the criminal. Psyca activated his chest cannon and opened fire, knocking the zord from the skies. Time Shadow crashed against the ground and skid backward, tearing apart the streets.

"Fire!" Time Red shouted. The Time-Force Megazord hovered to the side and opened fire with lances of blue energy that exploded around Psyca with a burst of spark.

Takku uploaded information onto the Rangers' visors about a new formation. Their Megazord could combine with the Time Shadow.

"Delta Formation," Time Red said as he tightened his grasp on the control lancer in front of him. "Shadow Beta!"

The Time-Force Megazord and Time Shadow shot upwards into the air. Time Shadow shifted its formation, forming a suit of armor that wrapped around the Megazord.

"Shadow-Force Megazord!" Time Red shouted once the transformation was complete. "Mode Blue!"

The Megazord armed a rifle-like cannon, edged with Time Shadow's vector blades. Shadow-Force Megazord hung in the air and looked down upon the criminal while aiming its rifle downward.

Time Red pulled the lancer from the control port, and it transformed into a miniature version of the rifle with a flash of blue energy. "Shadow-Force Megazord Saber…Final Strike!"

The rifle fired twelve energy pulses. The pulses slammed against the streets, surrounding the criminal like the hours of a clock. The pattern suspended the villain and kept him from moving. The Megazord fired a final pulse blast that shot downward and exploded against the villain with a massive burst of energy.

Psyca fell backward and exploded, his body shrinking and returning to a state of suspended animation.

* * *

The rangers powered down their armor and joined on the streets below. Damien looked up at where the Time Jets had vanished through the portal. "They always go home without us…" he said quietly.

"Damien," Sion said as he tugged on Damien's sleeve. The alien ranger had a bright smile on his face. "Come on, we have to get back top the office."

Damien knitted his brow. "It scares me when you get this excited. What is it?"

"It's a surprise," Sion said. They all started walking back towards the office.

"No, seriously," Damien said.

"Seriously," Sion said. "It's a surprise."

Wes smiled and shook his head as his friends continued their antics.

**To be continued…**


	8. Sex Appeal

**Sex Appeal**

The rangers had a customer in their office: a divorced man and his crying infant. The man sat on the couch while Damien was off to the side of the room, holding the baby and making coo noises to hush the infant's crying. He was not successful

Jenn, Wes, and Lucas sat across from the man. He had a picture of a 25-year-old woman in his hand.

"You have to help me find her," he pleaded. "The police won't do anything to help, and she…she's the first person I've cared about since the divorce. Now she's just…disappeared."

Sion walked over with a cup of tea from the man. His eyes brightened when he saw the picture of the young woman. "She's beautiful…"

"Thank you," the man said. His name was Marcus Parker. "Her name is Lillian. She loves me…even though she was always too good for me."

"Lillian…" Damien said softly as he handed the baby to Sion and nudged him out of the way. He wanted to look at the picture and was glad when he did. "You're right…she is beautiful…"

Wes and Lucas glanced at the picture too. Their jaws practically dropped.

Jenn arced an eyebrow at them. She turned her attention back towards Parker. "How did you meet her?"

Parker's face turned slightly red. "Online. She had a profile on Yahoo."

Lucas finally took his eyes off the picture. "Did you ever give her any money?"

"Well, I helped her pay her mother's hospital bills," Parker explained. "It was the least I could do for all the help Lillian gave me around the house. But money isn't important…I need to find my Lillian."

* * *

Parker left a few minutes later. Lucas breathed a small sigh and sat back on the couch. "Well…she lied to him about her mother."

Jenn nodded. "I agree."

Sion's face suddenly lit up as he turned the computer monitor towards the other rangers. "I found her!"

The screen had an online Yahoo profile of Lillian, along with her picture.

"Wow…" Wes said as he moved closer to the computer. "She looked even better in that picture."

Jenn felt a slight sting of jealousy. Surprise followed. Why was she jealous? She shook her head and rose from the couch, her arms crossed as she walked towards the computer. "One of you needs to message her and meet her. Let's find out what kind of person she is."

* * *

A day past. Parker was finding it difficult to work a fulltime job, take care of his home, and take care of his child. He hired Jenn for various odd jobs around the house, such as cleaning and washing dishes.

Meanwhile, dinner was cooking on the stove.

She heard the door swing open as Parker walked inside. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Jenn at work. "Thank you again, so much, for your help. I'm sorry I had to bother you like this. I'm just…so busy."

"Don't be sorry," Jenn said with a slight smile. "This is what we do."

"Where's my son?" Parker asked as he took a bowl full of soup that Jenn made. He took the bowl over to the table and had a seat.

"He's asleep," Jenn said.

Parker took a sip of the soup and nearly gagged. He pushed the bowl away from him. "I'm sorry. I…uh…probably shouldn't have eaten at work."

Parker stood from the table and left the kitchen. Jenn arced an eyebrow at him as he left. She walked to the table and tasted the soup. Her nose wrinkled. It was terrible. _This is why I prefer my food replicated. _

* * *

Wes arranged to meet Lillian at an outdoor restaurant by a woodland pond within the city. Still adjusting his tie, Wes sat at a small circular table that looked out upon the pond. His eyes were immediately drawn to the entrance gate when Lillian walked in.

She was radiant, dressed in a red, sleeve-less blouse and tight black pants. She looked at Wes and smiled.

Wes smiled back, his face turning slightly red as his heart pounded in his chest.

Lillian walked over and took a seat across from Wes. "Hi…I'm Lillian. You must be Wes…You're even better looking in person."

Wes practically fell from his chair. "You…you too…"

She smiled, causing Wes's heart to race even faster.

* * *

Wes met Damien, Lucas, and Sion behind a corner after the 'date' ended. Wes breathed a love-sick sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. "She was amazing…I could of just…she was just…"

"Breath," Lucas said.

"What did you find out?" Damien asked.

"That she's fantastic," Wes said. He leaned against the wall. "She lives alone and takes care of her mother, who's in the hospital."

Lucas knitted his brow. "Wait a minute…you didn't give her any money, did you?"

Wes shrugged. "Well just a little…For her mother…ya know…she's in the hospital…"

Damien breathed a sigh of exasperation. "Are you kidding me? How could you let her rip you off when you knew she was a con?"

"It's not like that," Wes said. He was still grinning like an idiot.

"This is ridiculous," Lucas said. "Let's call Jenn."

Damien nodded. 'Tell her I'm meeting this Lillian next. I'll bend _her_ to _my_ charm."

* * *

Jenn was ironing Parker's shirts. A difficult task, ironing. She had nothing like it in her time. She was used to tossing her clothes in the replicator at the end of the day. The replicator broke clothing down molecule by molecule and recycled the energy for use in replicating the next day's clothing.

Her thoughts drifted. Smoke slowly rose from the shirt she was ironing. Jenn cursed beneath her breath. She had burnt a hole in Parker's shirt.

Parker walked in just as Jenn lifted the shirt and inspected the gaping burn. He sighed and pulled out his picture of Lillian. He looked to the picture with deep longing in his eyes. "Lillian…please come home."

* * *

Lira walked into the main chamber at the prison tower. A group of Zenitto guards escorted her. She wore mismatched street clothes and sunglasses. The junk droids carried her bags, full of recently stolen clothes and jewelry.

Dorunero was laying with his face downward in the center of the chamber. A pair of junk droids were massaging the crime boss by slamming their hands against his back.

The villain noticed Lira walk in through the corner of his eye. "Lira…What happened to the prisoner you released? It's been three days, and she hasn't shown us any profit."

Lira smiled knowingly. "Oh, she's out…fishing."

Dorunero's gills narrowed. "Fishing? She is supposed to be working. Building a criminal empire is not free."

Lira laughed to herself and walked past Dorunero. "Oh, but it's not normal fish she's after."

* * *

Damien took a sip of his scotch while he waited for Lillian. He sat at an upclass bar in downtown Angel Grove. The lights were dim, and jazz music played in the background.

Damien saw Lillian enter the bar. She wore a skin-tight white, sleeveless dress. The dress had a diamond slit in the center, showing cleavage. Damien's heart raced faster as she approached.

Lillian sat next to him and smiled.

Damien smiled back. "You must be Lillian…?"

"Yes," Lillian said, her voice quiet and seductive. "Why…is something wrong?"

Damien's grip tightened around his glass. "No, no…you just…ah…look different than I thought you would."

Lillian made a pouting face. She slowly ran her finger's along Damien's shirt sleeve. "You don't like it?"

"No, no!" Damien stammered, his heart pounding. "I like it. I mean you. I like you."

Lillian smiled and leaned in close. "Do you believe in love at first sight?"

Damien could feel her warm breath against his neck, sending goosebumps across his skin. "I do now…"

She moved in closer and started running her fingers through the soft hair on the back of Damien's neck.

* * *

The five rangers were back in their office the next afternoon. Wes and Damien frantically darted around. Damien checked his hair in a small mirror, while Wes prepared a bouquet of flowers.

Jenn narrowed her eyes at them. "What the hell are you two doing?"

Damien smiled as he spiked his hair up. "I'm going to see Lillian tonight. I want to surprise her."

"That's great," Wes said, "if you want her to think you're a stalker."

Damien scoffed. "You can't talk. You're sending her flowers. Ugly flowers. Could you be more lame?"

Lucas crossed his arms and looked to Damien. "I suppose you gave her money too…"

"Some," Damien said. "She has to take care of her mother all by herself."

Jenn rolled her eyes and shook her head. "This is ridiculous."

* * *

Lillian leaned against a wall while smoking a this cigarette. She had an aura of sexual arrogance about her. The woman's look caught the gaze of passersby. She loved the attention.

Lira approached the woman from behind a corner. She walked over to Lillian and extended a hand. "Well?"

Lillian pulled a wad of money from her pocket and handed it to Lira. Lira scoffed. "This is it? You've been out for a week, and this is all you have?"

Lillian took another drag from her cigarette. "The men I've met don't have much."

Lira narrowed her eyes. "Then don't bother with them. Has your brain not thawed yet? You used to be good at this kind of thing."

Lira tossed the wad of cash onto the ground. "Get us some real money. Or you're going back in the freezer."

* * *

Jenn was back at the man's home. This time she vacuumed. Another odd task. She wondered how people could live under such conditions. In her time, environmental filters made apartments self cleaning.

Parker walked in the home's front door.

Jenn turned to greet him. She accidentally turned the vacuum and cord, which tipped over a nearby fax machine. The fax machine fell to the ground with a bang. The sound woke Parker's son, and the infant started crying.

Jenn's face turned slightly red.

Parker sighed and shook his head. "Lillian…"

* * *

The next morning.

Wes sat on the office couch while pouring a glass of tea. His gaze was distant, his mind fixated on Lillian. Sion was trying unsuccessfully to get Wes's attention.

Damien was in a corner, doing pushups without his top on. He was oblivious to Sion's calls as well.

Jenn's door opened as she walked into the office. She was dressed, but had clearly just woken up. Her hair was disheveled and her eyes looked tired.

Sion walked towards her. "Jenn…these two have completely lost it. They've been ignoring me all morning."

Wes looked up to Jenn. "We're fine. Really."

Jenn could clearly see that was not the case. "Where's Lucas?"

"He went to meet Lillian," Sion said. "He thinks he can figure out who she is, and why she has this affect on people."

Jenn sighed. She shook her head while rubbing her eyes. "Men…" she mumbled beneath her breath.

Sion narrowed his brow with concern when he noticed Jenn's appearance. "You look terrible." He eyes lit up. Finally, something to do. "I'll go get some medicine!"

Sion ran back into the boys' room.

Jenn's shoulders sank. She looked terrible. Couldn't take care of a few simple house chores. She knew these things should not bother her. But they did. "It's like I can't be anything like other women…" she said quietly.

But Wes overheard her. He looked up, his eyes momentarily freed of haze. "Don't say that. You're better than most women I know. Strong. Confident…"

Jenn cracked a smile. "Really?"

Damien kept doing push ups. "She's no Lillian, though."

"Well, yeah," Wes agreed. "But no one is."

Jenn narrowed her eyes.

* * *

Lucas sat at an outdoor café on the far east side of the city, where towering buildings met rolling hills and mountains in the distance. He was dressed as usual, with dark pants and a jacket over a blue t-shirt.

Lillian walked towards the table, but stopped in her tracks at the sight of Lucas. She didn't have time to waste with him. She needed someone rich.

Lucas looked up and saw Lillian standing nearby. His eyes lit up. He never expected her to b so attractive up close. She was like beauty personified.

Lillian turned and walked away.

"Wait!" Lucas called after her. "Lillian!"

* * *

Lillian walked around nearby corner. Jenn was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. Her cold eyes stared at the woman. "So…you must be Lillian."

Lillian turned, her hair sparkling in the sun. She faced Jenn and wrinkled her nose in disgust. "And who might you be?"

"A friend of Parker's…and Wes. Damien. Lucas," Jenn said. "I believe you know them."

Lillian smiled with amusement and lit a slim cigarette. She made the habit look sensual. She slowly exhaled smoke through her red lips. "And what's your point? They're just men. Toys…but I don't suppose you could understand that."

Jenn narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Lillian smiled while taking another slow puff of her cigarette. "You're barely a woman. The way you dress. Your hair. The way you stand." She wrinkled her nose. "Ick."

Lillian dropped her cigarette to the ground and turned, walking away while smashing the cigarette out with the heel of her shoe.

She and Jenn did not notice Lira watching from nearby.

* * *

Jenn returned to the office Takku was the only one inside. The droid flapped his wings the second he saw her. "Jenn! I finally found a match in the database."

Jenn walked towards the computer as Takku uploaded a criminal file from his database. "Prisoner number AG-755M. Medo'samaki'me. She uses heightened pheromones to influence men around her."

"Is there any way to counteract the pheromones?" Jenn asked.

"There's no antidote," Takku explained. "Pheromones are natural and secreted by most species. However…exposure to another female's pheromones may create a reaction in the males' body chemistry, shifting their affixation away from Lillian. So we need to find another woman to attract the rangers attention. But…where can we find another woman?"

Jenn narrowed her eyes.

* * *

Lira walked with Lillian through a grassy park near Angel's Square. The park was dotted with flower gardens and trees.

"Time Rangers?" Lillian asked after listening to Lira.

Lira nodded and handed the criminal a printed copy of Lucas, Wes and Damien's online Yahoo profiles. "They may not have any money, but your hold over them still has certain advantages. Get them to kill each other."

Lillian smiled wickedly.

* * *

Lillian sat in Hulman Park a few hours later. The park had a long field of flowers shaped in a rectangular pattern surrounded by brick walkways. In the center of the field stood a large iron-webbed sculpture of the Earth.

The sculpture was beautifully polished. One could never tell it was smashed through the side of the building during an attack from Bandora's evil Green Ranger more than five years ago.

Wes walked over to Lillian's bench. He had a bouquet of roses in his hand. He smiled and held out the roses towards her. "I'm glad you finally called again, Lillian."

Damien suddenly approached from the other side of the woman. He narrowed his eyes at Wes. "What are you doing here, Red? She's with me."

"Clearly not," Wes said.

Lucas walked forward next. Lillian had invited all three of them to the park. She increased her pheromones, which unlocked primal urges in the three boys. "Now, now," she said with a smile. "No need to fight over me…"

Wes rolled his hands into fists. That's exactly what they planned to do.

Damien smashed his fist across Wes's face. Wes fell backward onto his tailbone as Damien moved forward to strike again. Lucas tackled Damien from behind and slammed him against the ground.

Lucas rolled Damien over and slammed a punch across his face. Lucas did not notice Wes spring forward with a kick. Wes's foot slammed upside Lucas's head.

Sion dashed to the scene and tried to pry the other three rangers off of each other. His efforts were futile.

"Boys," a voice called from behind them. They turned, and their eyes opened wide at what they saw. It was Jenn, but she looked…different.

Jenn wore a tight-fitting sleeveless black dress of fine silk. The dress accentuated every curve on her body, her curved hips, her firm chest, and her smooth skin. Her makeup was subtle, but provocative. Small pieces of glitter on her cheeks sparkled with light. Her dark hair was combed back, fine and combed.

"Wake up, boys," Jenn said.

Even Sion was stunned. The four rangers climbed to their feet and couldn't help but stare.

Lillian snarled with rage and shot to her feet. "You tramp," she hissed.

The criminal's body started to shape shift. Her skin peeled back, revealing a creature with white scales covering her skin. She had yellow reptilian eyes and what looked like a mop of snakes for hair.

"Disgusting," Wes said as he and the others regrouped.

Jenn stepped forward and armed her brace. "Let's go."

"Whatever you say," Wes said with a sheepish grin.

They activated their braces.

"Chrono Trigger!" They slapped their braces' activation panels. Streams of data swirled around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms, their backs towards the villain when they landed.

The five Rangers snapped around to face the villain while shouting their names.

"Time Red!"

"Blue!"

"Green"

"Yellow!"

"Pink!"

They thrust their badges forward. "Time Ranger!"

"Lillian!" Time Pink shouted, her badge still extended as she and the others took a few steps forward. "You're under arrest for breaking the Temporal Accords."

Lillian scoffed. "You twits don't scare me."

Time Red, Time Blue, and Time Yellow rolled their hands into tight fists. They had been manipulated by a snake woman. They were not happy. The three Ranger charged forward to attack.

The villain leapt past Time Yellow and Time Blue wile thrashing her claws across their chests. Her nails sparked against the Rangers' armor on impact, knocking them backward. Lillian continued through her leap and slashed her claws across the Red Ranger's armor.

The three Rangers regrouped, but Lillian lashed out with a trio of tentacles from her head. The tentacles wrapped around the Rangers' throats and started to squeeze hard, cutting off their air.

Lillian sent electric shocks across the tentacles. The shocks exploded against the Rangers' armor, knocking them off their feet.

Time Green moved towards them with his Vector Saber. "This is why you three shouldn't have attacked alone.

"I'll make note of that," Time Yellow said. "Now cut us loose."

Time Green thrashed the three Rangers free from the criminal's tentacles. Lillian hissed with rage and pain.

Lillian extended her hand and fired a curved, yellow energy pulse that exploded against the Rangers' armor with a burst of spark, sending them crashing off their feet.

Time Pink leap in from the side and slammed a flying double kick against the villain. Lillian stumbled backward but stayed on her feet.

Time Pink landed and armed her Vector Saber. She held the blade upside down and stepped back into a fighting stance.

Lillian cursed in an alien language and lashed out with a volley of snake-headed tentacles that speared towards The Pink Rangers head.

"Chrono Access," Time Pink said as she accessed her Chrono Trigger. She unlocked a power that let her spin like a tornado, a blur of motion as she darted back and forth while slashing each tentacle away.

Time Pink sprang forward through the air and arced her decent towards the villain. The Pink Ranger landed while chopping her blade across Lillian's body, sparking on impact and knocking the villain backward.

"Chrono Launcher," Time Pink commanded.

The five Rangers combined their weapons into a bazooka. Time Green, Time Blue, Time Yellow, and Time Pin stood at the weapon's sides, while Time Red grasped the weapon from behind.

"Target…locked on," Time Red said as his visor zeroed in on the villain. "Chrono Launcher, fire!"

The bazooka shot an energy pulse that streaked towards the criminal. The blast exploded against the criminal, knocking her backward and tearing off her patch. The villain's DNA started to react and cause the body to expand. The creature grew giant.

Time Red activated his communicator. "Takku!"

"Yokai." The droid activated his temporal transceiver. "3-D system, stand by for launch!"

As always, Takku wondered who the strange man was who sent them Time Jets when they were needed.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 3006AD**_

In the north section of the city sat a circular command complex with several rectangular buildings webbing out from the main compound. A yellow and black giant-sized robo stomped around the perimeter of the compound near a tall gate shaped like an upside down 'V.' A runway connected the gate to the complex.

A platform of five Time Jets surfaced at the end of the runway. The platform rotated and lined the red-trimmed jet into position. One-by-one, Providus slammed the Time Jets through the Gate. The five zords flew in tight formation and throttled backward through the time stream.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 2006AD**_

A wormhole opened in the sky and the five zords streaked through, swooping down into the atmosphere.

"Time Flier," Time Pink commanded as the Time Flier hovered past their location.

The Time Rangers leapt onto the Flier. The Flier carried them over their five Time Jets, traveling at frightful speeds. Thankful he was not afraid of heights or prone to airsickness, Time Red and the others jumped off the Time Flier and fell into their cockpits.

"3-D Formation…" Time Pink commanded as she grasped control levers to her side. "Time Robo, Alpha!"

The Time Jets stayed in tight formation and flew across the streets as they streets, Each zord started to reassemble and combine into a giant, red-armored zord. The 3-D formation completed as the Rangers activated their zord: the Time-Force Megazord, Mode Red.

A shadow started to cover the sun like an eclipse. The shadow darkened the streets below. Rangers and villains looked up, not sure what was happening. Then the eclipse revealed itself to be a time portal. Time Shadow blasted through the portal.

The zord climbed upward and twisted while in mid-flight. Time Shadow started to change shape and form a warrior mode. The black zord armed two double-edged blue blades, and its eyes pulsed with pale-blue energy.

Lillian lashed out with two tentacles that wrapped around both zords. Explosions sparked against the zords' armor as Lillian pumped voltage through the tentacles.

"Wes," Time Pink said.

"Right," Time Red said. "Time-Force Megazord Saber!"

A worm hole opened in the Megazord's chest. A saber speared forward from the portal, and the Megazord wrapped his hand around the saber's handle. The Megazord slashed the tentacles away with a powerful swing of its sword.

"Delta Formation," Time Pink said as she tightened her grasp on the control lancer in front of her. "Shadow Alpha!"

The Time-Force Megazord and Time Shadow shot upwards into the air. Time Shadow shifted its formation, forming a suit of armor that wrapped around the Megazord.

"Shadow-Force Megazord!" Time Red shouted once the transformation was complete. "Mode Red!"

The Megazord armed a saber, edged with Time Shadow's vector blades. Shadow-Force Megazord hung in the air and looked down upon the criminal. The zord shot an energy net of green power that wrapped around the villain below.

Time Red pulled the lancer from the control port, and it transformed into a miniature version of the sword with a flash of blue energy. "Shadow-Force Megazord Saber…Final Strike!"

The saber energized and swung downward, slashing through the villain's body.

"Time up," Time Pink said.

The criminal exploded, creating a chain reaction that shrunk her down to miniature size on the streets below.

* * *

Jenn left Parker a fake note she wrote and signed with Lillian's name. The note read that Lillian could not marry him because of her mother's illness, and apologized. The note explains that Lillian did not want to burden him with the extra grief.

Parker sighed and sat back on his coach. At least he knew his Lillian was okay. Maybe now he could move on.

* * *

Sion put Lillian in the office cabinet with the rest of the criminals. The others were in the office as well, but Jenn was sitting on the couch alone while watching the news. She had acted strange ever since the fight in Hulman Park. It was almost like she was embarrassed.

Wes sat next to her. "Jenn…Thanks for saving us back there."

"That wasn't me," she said.

Wes held up his hands defensively. He did not wish to draw her into another argument. "I know, I know. You're not like that."

"Not like what?" Jenn said defensively as she arced an eyebrow. "Not as good as 'real' women whose ribs show beneath their skimpy clothes?"

"Jenn, you are so better than any woman I've ever met," Wes said. "You're strong, independent, smart, confident. And…you don't have to try to be beautiful, you just are."

Wes's face turned slightly red at his own comment. "Yeah, well…I'm going to go make sure Damien is staying away from the online dating sites."

Jenn smiled at him. "Thanks, Wes."

**To be continued…**


	9. Electric

**Electric**

Dr. William "Billy" Cranston sat in the center of a dark room. He leaned forward on a sleek rectangular table of black marble. Eleven holographic projections surrounded him. Each projection was nothing more than a slab of black light with a number.

Each slab represented a member of INET's board of directors. They did not know each other. Cranston was not even sure who each of them was.

"You're losing focus," a voice said from one of the projections. The number was 006. "Lightspeed is a year off schedule, J-Force is behind by two."

Billy sighed with frustration. "You accuse me of being off schedule, and in the same breath, mention projects that are secondary to our main objective."

"Dr. Cranston is correct," 003 said. "We only agreed to fund his Ranger and meta-talent response initiatives in exchange for his assistance with the Amelioration Project."

006 was quick to respond. "His work with the Amelioration Project nearly blew up the moon."

"But it was still a success," Cranston said. "Keep in mind, I'm the whole reason INET exists. I know what my priorities are."

"Doubtful," 004 said. "You recently wasted funding and assets designing weapons for the proposed Silver Guardians unit."

"We need that contract," Billy said.

011 spoke for the first time. "Dr. Cranston is right. And the Silver Guardians project should be further developed, at top priority."

"That's absurd," 006 said. "The Guardians are not even one of our initiatives. They belong to the 3rd TOTAL R & D Lab."

"It doesn't matter," 011 said. "We need results. The Guardians initiative will give us results. How soon can the Gears be operational?"

"Within a week," Cranston said. "Now…if that's all, this meeting is over."

Billy flipped a switch on the table in front of him. His connection with each of the board members terminated. Except for one. 011's hologram still hung in the air.

Billy leaned back in his chair. "I'm not sure this is a good idea."

"I am," 011 said. "J-Force and Lightspeed can wait. We need the Silver Guardians online now."

"And once the Gears are finished, you'll finish your end of the bargain?" Billy asked.

"Yes," 011 said. "I'll even give you part of the data download now."

Billy pulled out his data pad. Information started scrolling across the pad's screen. The pictures were schematics for a zord called the V-Rex.

* * *

Dorunero had a new addiction: 21st century television. The crime boss was a regular watcher of soap operas, a type of program Lira had introduced him to. One Life to Live was his favorite.

The episode he was watching featured the long-awaited reunion of Travis and Starr, two beautiful young lovers. Dorunero's eyes were fixated to the screen as he watched Travis and Starr run towards each other. The young couple swept into each others arms and hugged tightly.

Travis leaned in to kiss her.

The power suddenly went out throughout the prisoner tower as the lights and TV blinked off. Dorunero gasped. "Gien!"

The droid peeked his head into the main chamber a few moments later. His eyes acted as flashlights and provided some illumination. Lira was crouched behind the droid. She looked to her lover. "What's happened?"

Dorunero narrowed his eyes. "I intend to find out."

Gien led Dorunero and Lira through the darkened corridors towards the main computer core. One of the core's panels was torn free. Wires were strewn across the floor plating.

Sparks suddenly flashed from a darkened corner. Gien swung his eye flashlights over to reveal a creature snacking on the wire's electricity. The creature resembled a bloated worm with brown/yellow segments making up his body and head. The creature had a gaping maw for a mouth.

"Uugo!" Dorunero snapped. The creature dropped the wires and turned to face Dorunero. Lira released Uugo from a prison capsule two days earlier. The creature had scurried off and disappeared. Apparently, he did not get far. "Stop eating our power grid, worm."

"But, but…" the criminal stammered. "I'm hungry…"

A smile crossed Dorunero's lips. "Perhaps there is something we can do about that."

* * *

Wes had the other rangers sitting around the coffee table. Wes had a wide smile on his face as he walked over to the table. He tossed a long manila envelop down. "Go on and open it."

Jenn lifted the envelop and opened it. A check and glossy pamphlet slid onto the table. Damien's eyes opened wide as he picked up the check, taking note of the number of zeroes.

"There's a festival coming up that the Stark Foundation does every year," Wes explained. "They hired us to set everything up for them. Isn't this great."

Sion's eyes opened wide with excitement. "When is it?"

"Sunday," Wes explained. "But we have to get started today. If we split up the work, we can get done quicker."

Jenn shook her head. "I have a job to do tomorrow."

Lucas nodded. "Me too. I'm booked for the next week."

"Don't worry about it," Wes said. "I canceled your jobs for you to free up your schedule. I didn't think you'd mind."

Jenn arced an eyebrow. She was not happy. "You did what?"

"You'll thank me later. Promise," Wes said. "Now, I'm off to make posters."

Sion's smile brightened as he followed Wes out the door. "I wanna come!"

The others slouched in their seats.

* * *

The rangers worked on setting up the festival at Deer Creek Plaza. Sion sat on a stage while tweaking the wiring of various speakers and sounds. Jenn and Damien were on ladders at opposite sides of the stage, hanging up a banner as Wes directed them. They were losing patience.

"A little to the left…" Wes said as he looked up. "…no, make it right…..a little more. No, that's too far."

"Ya know," Lucas said quietly to Jenn. "We could probably drop this on him."

"I heard that," Wes called out.

A pair of suited men walked towards Wes. They represented Stark Enterprises. "I trust everything is going well?"

Wes smiled with enthusiasm. "Couldn't be better sir."

Sion suddenly winced as the speakers and lights short circuited. Lights across the entire city block blinked off.

Wes and the others darted over towards Sion. Wes looked in dismay at the broken equipment. "What happened?"

Takku spoke through their communicators. "A blackout has covered the city block. Something shorted out a series of cables underground."

Sion looked to Jenn. "It might be Dorunero."

Jenn nodded. "Let's go check it out."

"No," Wes said as he moved off. "You guys stay here and keep working. I'll check in on it. Just…keep working."

* * *

Uugo snacked on a cluster of power cords that ran beneath the streets. Energy sparked between his teeth as he sucked as much power as he could.

The Red Ranger ran through the underground corridor towards the creature. Time Red grabbed the creature by the tentacles and pulled the villain away. The Red Ranger held firm while slamming a pair of roundkicks against the villain's side.

The criminal leaned forward and breathed a puff of steam from its maw. The steam exploded against Time Red's armor and knocked him backward.

Uugo scurried outside to escape the Ranger. Time Red followed, staying hot on the villain's heels. They moved out to the plaza area, where the other rangers were nearby.

Time Red leapt through the air and tackled the creature to the ground. The two opponents rolled across the concrete and came to a stop. Time Red slammed his elbow against the fallen creature's chest.

Takku spoke to the other rangers through their communicators, but Time Red did not hear. "Rangers, avoid using energy weapons against this prisoner. He feeds off of such power. It's how he disrupted the city's electricity."

Time Red leapt forward, angling his descent towards the criminal while holding his two Vector Sabers in a noon and 9 position.

"Time Strike!" He swung the blades through streaks of red power that exploded against the villain.

But Uugo absorbed the attack's energy, creating a backfire that exploded against Time Red with a violent burst of sparks and light. The Red Ranger crashed backward as secondary explosions thrashed across his armor and Chrono morpher. His armor flashed like static and powered down.

Wes lied on the ground, drifting out of consciousness. Blood dripped down his forehead.

"Wes!" Jenn called as she and the others ran to his side. Wes's body went limp as darkness consumed him.

* * *

Jenn, Lucas, Damien, and Sion sat in a hospital hallway while worrying about Wes. He was in a nearby room being examined by doctors. The rangers managed to convince doctors that Wes was an innocent civilian hurt during the criminal's attack.

Sion was examining Wes's broken morpher when a doctor walked towards them. Sion stuffed the morpher in his pocket as he and the others sprang to their feet.

"He's going to be alright," the doctor said. "He has quite a bruise on his head, but he should be waking up soon."

The rangers breathed a collective sigh of relief and sat back down.

Sion opened his eyes wide as an idea struck him. "Since Wes is okay…we should finish setting up for the festival. It'll surprise him when he wakes up!"

"I suppose…" Damien said. "Even though he is pushy."

Jenn nodded in agreement. "I'll stay here though…someone should be here for Wes when he wakes up."

Sion pulled the broken Chrono morpher from his pocket. "I'll fix Wes's brace…it shouldn't be too hard."

Damien put his hand on Lucas's back. "I guess that leaves us to do the grunt work."

* * *

Jenn stood watch over Wes from his room's doorway. A suited man walked towards her from the hall. It was one of the men from Stark Enterprises. He carried a small bouquet of get well flowers.

Jenn arced an eyebrow at him. "Can I help you?"

"I just came to wish Mr. Collins well," he said. "I've taken the liberty of paying his hospital bills. It's the least I can do."

"How so?" Jenn asked.

"I used to be one of his father's men," he explained. "It's how I found Wes."

They didn't notice Wes stir slightly in his bed. He was awake enough to hear what they were saying. The man's words hurt almost as much as the head injury. He was only hired because of his father? As a ...what…a favor to his father? Would he ever be able to escape his father's shadow?

* * *

Night shrouded Angel Grove. Uugo's snack attacks had taken out power to several city blocks. Dorunero took advantage of the power outages and launched a crime spree.

Junk droids swarmed the blackened city streets. The soldiers smashed through windows and doors, getting their hands on as much merchandise as they could. Jewels, diamonds, cash, and clothes for Lira were all taken.

* * *

Sion was up despite the late hour. Jenn was still at the hospital, while Damien and Lucas patrolled the streets, trying to track down junk droids. Sion was hunched over his desk, Wes's repaired morpher nearby.

With the morpher repaired, Sion had turned his attention to a new weapon: the Spark Vector. The weapon used a single Vector Saber and smaller components that Sion fiddled with. Each component seemed made to attach with the saber.

Takku had the rangers' comm lines open as Damien and Lucas gave a report.

"We just missed them," Lucas said. "They tore right through a bank at 59th and Wabash."

"Keep looking for them," Jenn said. "I'll meet up with you in a few blocks…"

* * *

"This plan was brilliant, Gien," Dorunero said as junk droids poured jewels and cash onto a table in the prison tower. "Not a bad idea, for a droid."

Gien nodded in appreciation, silently cursing the prejudice of his leader.

* * *

Morning came. Jenn returned to the hospital to find Wes's room empty.

Meanwhile, back at the plaza, Wes was sitting on the stage with his shoulders hunched low. A bandage still wrapped around his head from his injury. He cursed silently beneath his breath. "It's my faulty we couldn't do this…"

The man from Stark Enterprises quietly walked towards Wes from behind and took a seat next to him. Wes narrowed his brow. "So my dad was behind this…"

The man nodded. "I would have told you…but I didn't think you'd agree."

"I wouldn't have," Wes said.

The man nodded. "He'll probably find out about this, eventually. Things like this are normally so far beneath his notice. But in this case-"

"I got it…" Wes said as he stood and started to walk off. "If you see him yourself, tell him to stay out of my life."

* * *

Uugo fired an electric blast that exploded through a cop car. The car was torn to shreds with a massive explosion. The villain stalked through the back streets on his way towards a city power plant.

Time Yellow, Time Blue, and Time Pink landed in front of the creature and snapped into fighting stances.

The Yellow Ranger tightened his fists. "Feeding time's over."

"Let's go," Time Pink said as the three Ranger charged forward to attack.

Uugo spat a jagged burst of electric energy that exploded against the three Rangers' armor with a massive burst of spark, sending them crashing off their feet and skidding backward across the pavement.

* * *

Sion still worked on the Spark Vector. Jenn's voice spoke over the communications network. "Sion…now's a good time to finish that new toy of yours."

Sion scrambled to fit each of the device's components in a yellow case. "I'm on my way, Jenn…"

* * *

Uugo stalked towards the fallen three Rangers. Gien watched from behind a nearby corner. It looked like the Rangers were finally about to die.

A motorcycle suddenly sped from around the corner and charged towards the creature. It was Wes.

Wes skid his cycle to a halt, positioning himself between the criminal and other Rangers.

"Wes, what are you doing," Time Pink scolded. "You don't have your morpher."

"No," Wes said. "But this will have to do."

Wes twisted his cycle's handle and charged past the villain. Uugo turned and watched the cycle speed by. The villain was attracted to the cycle's battery. The creature chased after the bike.

Uugo fired an electric blast that exploded around Wes's cycle, knocking him off the bike. Wes slammed against the ground hard and skid across the pavement.

"Wes!" Time Pink shouted as she, Time Yellow, and Time Blue ran to his aide.

Gien extended his hand towards the three oncoming Rangers. Bullets blasted from his finger barrels and sparked against the three Rangers' chests, knocking them off their feet as smoke rose off their armor from the bullet impacts.

A whining suddenly shot through the air above. Wes looked up to see Time Green on the Time Flier. The Green Ranger leapt down to ground level with his yellow case in hand.

"Wes," Time Green said as he helped his friend to his feet and handed him his brace. "I fixed your morpher."

Wes smiled and strapped the morpher onto his wrist. "Sion, sometimes I could just hug you."

He armed his morpher. "Chrono, Trigger!" he shouted as he slapped his morpher's activation panel. Columns of data energy circled around him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

"Time Rangers!" Time Red shouted as he thrust his badge forward. The badge flashed with gold energy. "Uugo…you're under arrest for breaking the Temporal Accords. It's time for judgment."

Gien fired a volley of bullets from his gauntlet. The bullets exploded around Time Red and Time Green with bursts of spark as they dove aside and rolled across the pavement.

Time Red rose to his knees and armed his Vector Sabers. He triggered a crimson energy blade that exploded against Gien with a burst of spark, knocking the droid backward.

Time Green ran to the Red Ranger's side and opened his yellow case. "I made a new weapon you can use against Uugo."

Time Red connected the devices to his Vector Saber, creating a rifle weapon.

Uugo tossed a handful of golden nuts and bolts onto the ground to cover himself from the Rangers. The bolts formed a group of drunk droids that marched towards the Red Ranger to attack.

Time Red charged forward and aimed his rifle steady. He triggered a volley of golden pulse blasts that splashed across a group of junk droids. The energy formed a shell around the villain's and shattered with a burst of light, vaporizing the soldiers.

Another wave of the grunts closed in towards Time Red from the side. Time Red continued his charge forward while swinging his weapon to the side and trigging another volley of pulse blasts. The blasts splashed across the junk droids and vaporized them with bursts of light.

Another wave of soldiers swarmed in from all side. Time Red rolled across the ground and rose to his knees, swinging his weapon around while triggering a volley of pulse blasts. The blasts vaporized the soldiers.

Time Red charged forward towards the criminal. Uugo fired jagged bursts of energy that exploded around Time Red with a massive burst of flames and spark as the Red Ranger leapt forward through the air.

The Red Ranger turned his attention towards the criminal.

Time Red triggered a volley of pulse blasts that exploded against the villain, knocking him backward. Uugo stumbled but managed to keep his balance and fire another pair of electric streams. The streams exploded against Time Red's armor with a burst spark and knocked him from the air.

Time Red crashed to the ground and rose into a crouched position as the other rangers regrouped around him.

From nearby, Gien fired his finger cannons at the criminal's patch. The patch shattered, exposing the criminal's DNA and causing a chain reaction that made the villain grow giant.

Time Red activated his communicator. "Takku!"

"Yokai." The droid activated his temporal transceiver. "3-D system, stand by for launch!"

A wormhole opened in the sky above Angel Grove, and the five zords streaked through, swooping down into the atmosphere.

A shadow started to cover the sun like an eclipse. The shadow darkened the streets below. Rangers and villains looked up, not sure what was happening. Then the eclipse revealed itself to be a time portal. Time Shadow blasted through the portal.

The zord climbed upward and twisted while in mid-flight. Time Shadow started to change shape and form a warrior mode. The black zord armed two double-edged blue blades, and its eyes pulsed with pale-blue energy.

"Time Flier," Time Red commanded as the Time Flier hovered past their location.

The Time Rangers leapt onto the Flier. The Flier carried them over their five Time Jets, traveling at frightful speeds. Thankful he was not afraid of heights or prone to airsickness, Time Red and the others jumped off the Time Flier and fell into their cockpits.

"3-D Formation…" Time Red commanded as he grasped control levers to his side. "Time Robo, Beta!"

The Time Jets stayed in tight formation and flew across the streets as they streets, Each zord started to reassemble and combine into a giant, blue-armored zord. The 3-D formation completed as the Rangers activated their zord: the Time-Force Megazord, Mode Blue.

The Rangers stood in the zord's central cockpit. Five tall rods extended from the floor to the Rangers' waist levels. The Time Rangers reached forward and grabbed the Lancers.

"Flier Magnum," Time Red commanded. The Time Flier transformed into a blaster that the Megazord gripped in its hand.

The Megazord dashed to the side and opened fire with spears of blue energy that exploded against the criminal. Uugo opened fire with jagged energy bursts that exploded against the Megazord's armor.

While the villain was distracted with the Megazord, Time Shadow moved in from behind and slashed its blades across the giant villain's back.

"Delta Formation," Time Red said as he tightened his grasp on the control lancer in front of him. "Shadow Beta!"

The Time-Force Megazord and Time Shadow shot upwards into the air. Time Shadow shifted its formation, forming a suit of armor that wrapped around the Megazord.

"Shadow-Force Megazord!" Time Red shouted once the transformation was complete. "Mode Blue!"

The Megazord armed a rifle-like cannon, edged with Time Shadow's vector blades. Shadow-Force Megazord hung in the air and looked down upon the criminal while aiming its rifle downward.

Time Red pulled the lancer from the control port, and it transformed into a miniature version of the rifle with a flash of blue energy. "Shadow-Force Megazord Saber…Final Strike!"

The rifle fired twelve energy pulses. The pulses slammed against the streets, surrounding the criminal like the hours of a clock. The pattern suspended the villain and kept him from moving. The Megazord fired a final pulse blast that shot downward and exploded against the villain with a massive burst of energy.

The creature fell backward and exploded, his body shrinking and returning to a state of suspended animation.

* * *

A week passed.

Eric Myers walked into his small mobile home just outside city limits. He tossed his keys onto a nearby table and walked over to his fridge. He opened the door. The refrigerator was bare except for four longneck bottles of Miller Genuine Draft.

He took the beer from the fridge and shut the door.

A pad on the small kitchen table nearby caught his eyes. He looked at the data pad and narrowed his eyes. What the hell was it?

Eric walked over and picked up the data pad. It was a written invitation to join some new kind of fighting unit called the Silver Guardians.

The pad was signed by a Dr. William Cranston.

**To be continued…**


	10. V-Rex Stampede

**V-Rex Stampede**

Bullets shattered through a hotel lobby's glass door as customers ran and screamed in panic. Lira walked through the broken glass doors and stepped outside along with her junk droid escorts. She took a moment to admire the fine diamond rings on her fingers, each ring stolen from the hotel's upper-class clientele.

She loved such extravagancies. Never in her life had she been able to amass so much wealth.

As a child, Lira had lived on the streets as an orphan. She grew up stealing her food, living in stairwells, or selling her body for a warm place to sleep during harsh winters. She had several run ins with the law. They were always more interested in arresting her than actually helping her.

Dorunero was the only person who ever cared about her. The crime boss originally hired her as a concubine, but took pity on her. Lira had lived in luxury ever since.

Sirens suddenly cut through the air.

Three black SUVs and four sleek-black cars skid to a stop in front of the hotel. Vehicle doors opened and more than a dozen soldiers piled out. Each soldier dressed in a black jumpsuit with dark sunglasses. They wore caps on their heads, covering an earphone headpiece.

Handguns that rivaled police officers were strapped to the soldiers' legs. They upholstered their guns and aimed the sleek barrels forward towards the villains while crouching on the ground or standing in firing position behind open doors.

The soldiers' leader stood firm with his arms crossed behind his back. He wore a uniform identical to the others, only he wore a red beret.

Lira scoffed at the soldiers. They were at best, a minor annoyance.

The rangers heard the sirens from the distance. They started sprinting towards the hotel but did not think they would make it in time.

Lira scoffed at the soldiers. "Come on," she said to the Zenitto. "They're not worth wasting the bullets."

The man in the red beret narrowed his eyes beneath his shades and tightened his grip on his hand. "Open fire!"

The Silver Guardians triggered their weapons. Bullets shot forward with a sound like thunder. Each bullet was explosive tipped and energized with a sonic, vibration field. Bullets punctured through the junk droids and exploded with massive bursts of spark, thrashing through wiring and circuitry, blasting holes in the soldiers.

Lira wrinkled her nose with anger as junk droids crashed around her like piles of scrap metal. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Nearby, the rangers skid to a halt at what they saw. They thought they were the only ones with weapons that could pierce droid armor. Apparently they were wrong.

The man in the red beret aimed his weapon at Lira. "Stand down or you're next."

Lira snarled and twirled while teleporting away in beams of pink light.

The men lowered their weapons. They moved over to the wrecked droids and expected their handiwork. The man in the red beret nodded approvingly and looked at his gun. "Looks like these weapons passed their first field test…"

The hotel concierge walked out with a look of relief in his face. He moved towards the man with the red beret. "Thank you, thank you…" he stammered. "They've been stealing from our guests for days! The police could never do a thing!"

The man in the red beret nodded with pride. "That's why we're here." He looked to his men and started moving back towards the vehicles. "Silver Guardians…move out!"

The Guardians started to pile into their vehicles. One of the young soldiers stopped in his tracks when he spotted the rangers through the corner of his eye. He turned and looked to Wes. Wes opened his eyes wide with recognition as the soldier walked towards him.

"Collins…" the soldier said, his face stone cold. "It's been a long time…"

"Eric…" Wes said as he stepped forward. "What's going on here."

"Exactly what it looks like," Eric said. "We do what ordinary police can't. We're your father's group…I didn't think you'd be so surprised."

Wes narrowed his eyes at the mention of his father. "I don't have anything to do with him anymore."

Eric smiled coldly and nodded. "Sorry to hear that…" he turned and started to walk towards his vehicle. "See you around, Collins."

Damien leaned towards Wes, his eyes still fixated on the Silver Guardian vehicles driving away.

"You know that guy?" Damien said.

Wes nodded. "We went to prep school together…"

His mind flashed back…

* * *

_**Four years earlier**_

_Wes's prep school was in a small city of 3,000 called Silver Hills, southeast of Angel Grove. A large lake separated Angel Grove from the smaller city, which was mostly developed with upscale homes._

_Wes walked across campus with a book bag slung over his shoulder. His tie was loose around his neck and his shirt was partially un-tucked. _

_The teenager noticed a young freshman getting cornered against a brick wall by three clean-cut upperclassmen. One of the bullies patted the boy on the side of the face. "This little kid was snooping around where he shouldn't have…again."_

_The freshman opened his eyes wide with fear. "I didn't see anything. Honest. I…I just take a short cut through that alley between classes. I…wasn't spying. Honest. It's no big deal anyway…it's just pot…I-"_

"_Thought ya didn't see anything?" the bully said as he and his two friends stepped closer to the freshman. "Especially anything that could get us expelled."_

_Wes was about to go break the group up, but someone beat him to it. Another teenager walked past the group. He kept moving past them while giving the bullies a cold stare. _

_The lead bully looked at him and scoffed. "What are you looking at, Myers."_

_Eric stopped in his tracks. "Three Neanderthals picking on someone smaller than them."_

_The bully laughed and looked to his friends. "You know who this kid is? His dad actually works at a steel mill for a living, probably didn't even finish high school. Myers is barely worth the clothes he wears."_

_Eric stalked over towards the bullies. "Should I be flattered that you know my family's history?"_

_The bully laughed again. "No, you should be-"_

_Eric slammed a hook punch across the bully's face. The bully crashed against the ground, slamming on his tailbone. _

_Wes moved over to them before the fight could get out of hand. "Hey, hey…" he said as he looked to the bullies. "Why don't you three leave before you cause anymore trouble."_

_The bullies scoffed and walked away. _

_The freshman readjusted his tie and smiled sheepishly as he looked to Eric. "Hey, uh…thanks."_

"_Don't thank me," Eric said as he turned and started to walk away. "You're all a bunch of snobs."_

_The freshman snorted. "What's his problem?"_

_Wes shook his head. "I have no idea."_

* * *

Gien was alone in the main prison tower chamber. He stood at a holographic projection table and hunched over while staring at an image of the city. The droid laughed quietly to himself as the projection slowly spun above the table.

The droid activated a small holographic simulation. A circular vortex slowly spun above the artificial city.

The chamber door slid open, and Gien quickly shut off the projector. Lira stormed inside, still upset over her humiliation at the hotel. "Dorunero! Where are you, you bloated fish?"

She turned her gaze towards Gien after realizing Dorunero was gone. "Where is he, droid?"

"I believe he went out to the city for work," Gien explained. "Perhaps you should go and look for him?"

"Bah!" Lira scoffed. "I've had enough of this century for one day. A group of…"

Lira scowled when she noticed Gien was not paying attention. The droid's gaze was fixed to the holographic projector. "Listen to me, droid!"

Gien looked up to her. "I'm researching something important, Lira…"

"Bah," Lira said as she turned and stormed away.

Gien activated the holographic projector again after Lira left. The villain's eyes started to glow a little brighter, whining with a hint of madness.

* * *

Takku called for the rangers' attention as soon as they entered the office. The Silver Guardians were on the news. Lynn Holtkamp was covering a press conference in a wide auditorium within the INET building.

Wes narrowed his eyes at the television when he saw his father step up to the auditorium podium. "You have to be kidding me…?"

Mr. Collins stood tall and proud at the podium. "A new type of danger calls for a new type of protection. The Silver Guardians are an elite policing force, that will protect our city's businesses and real estate against these meta-criminals, who are jeopardizing our safety and well being.

"It's time to stop placing our fate in the hands of nameless protectors who call themselves Rangers. It's time to act. And through this partnership with INET, my company, and my Silver Guardians, will do everything in their power to keep this city safe from those who seek to harm us."

Sion opened his eyes wide and smiled. "Wes…it sounds like your Dad is a good person. We could really use the help from this team."

"No," Wes said firmly. "You don't understand. This is my father. He's only doing this because there's some sort of profit in it for him. He doesn't care about protecting the city. He just cares about money."

"Either way," Jenn said. "These Silver Guardians are _not_ Rangers. They're going to get themselves killed."

They turned their attention back to the television. A member of the print media had brought up a touchy subject Collins had tried to avoid. The question was about the Silver Guardians charging a fee for their protection.

Collin's face turned slightly red. "We are a growing organization that hopes to be available for everyone, free of charge. But for now…it's necessary to charge a slight fee to any business or organization that calls for our talents."

Wes looked to Sion. "See."

Sion's shoulders sank in disappointment.

Lucas noted Eric among the ranks of Silver Guardians. "What else do you know about this Eric?" he asked Wes. "Would he be willing to give us some inside information about these Guardians?"

"Doubtful," Wes said. "We never really…got along."

Wes's mind flashed back…

* * *

_Wes and Eric were enrolled in a karate class that started two weeks after their first meeting. The class was for beginners, but Eric and Wes were anything but that._

_The two teens were teamed up for sparring practice. They slowly circled around each other, eyeing stances and defense for weaknesses. _

_Eric narrowed his eyes, fierce intensity burning in his eyes. He snapped forward with a jumpkick that Wes blocked. Wes spun forward with a reverse sidekick aimed towards Eric's chest. Eric stepped aside and knocked Wes's leg away._

_Eric struck back with a flurry of quick punches that Wes slapped aside while stepping backward. Both clearly had previous training and appeared evenly matched. _

_The fight continued, Eric's eyes burning with fire._

* * *

Mr. Collins walked down a side hallway away from the auditorium. He had finished his speech to the Silver Guardians. Everything was working perfectly.

"Mr. Collins!" a voice called from behind him. Collins and his escorts turned to see Eric walk towards him. "Could I have a word with you, sir?"

Collins turned and faced Eric. He raised an eyebrow at the young man. The man's gaze was condescending. "And you are?"

"Eric Myers. Second squad," he said. "I went to prep school with your son, Wes."

Collin's face hardened even more. "And?"

"I ran into him yesterday," Eric explained. "He said he's walked away from you. I just wanted you to know, I'd be willing to track him down for you."

Collins took a deep breath in a failed effort to hide his annoyance. "I don't plan to look for Wes. And I certainly don't need you to do it for me."

Collins turned and walked away with his escorts.

A cold smile crossed Eric's face.

* * *

_Eric sat on a campus bench while looking over a sheet of paper from the Registrar's Office. The paper was one of several withdraw forms he had to complete._

"_Hey Eric!" Wes called out as he moved towards the bench and took a seat next to Eric._

_Eric didn't bother to look up. "What do you want, Collins?"_

_Wes shrugged. "I thought maybe we could hang out after practice. A few of us are going to Silver Hills for dinner."_

"_I don't need charity," Eric said. _

"_It's not charity," Wes said. "You just look like you could use a friend." _

"_Friend?" Eric said as he stood and stuffed the paper into his pocket. "These people aren't your friends. You're all the same." _

"_You keep saying that…" Wes said. _

"_That's because it's true," Eric said. "Besides…I'm out of here after today. I'm dropping out."_

"_Why?" Wes asked._

_Eric started to walk away. "Don't pretend like you care. Just go play with your spoiled friends."_

_Wes followed, but three of their classmates came over, blocking their path. "Hey Wes, there ya are." He handed Wes an embroidered invitation. "You should come to my parents' party this weekend. Everyone will be there."_

_The student glanced to Eric, then looked back to Wes. "Penniless isn't invited."_

_His friends snickered._

_Eric shoved past them and walked towards the Registrar's office. _

_Wes handed the invitation back to the student and followed Eric._

* * *

Eric stood in a dark firing range. A holographic target was in the distance. Eric held his assault handgun in his right hand. He slowly tapped the pistol against the back of his hand while staring ahead at his target.

Eric snapped the weapon forward and fired. Each shot ripped through the bull's-eye.

* * *

The criminal named Jyaguru stalked across the pavement of a landscaped patio. A group of junk droids carried a massive generator while trailing behind the criminal.

The criminal's lean, toned body was covered in brown armor from head to toe. The villain's head was shaped like a saucer with a single faded-blue eyepiece.

Jyaguru was the instrument of Gien's plan. The Meta-criminal was from the X Vault, where the most dangerous prisoners were kept.

Citizens ran and screamed in panic, but Jyaguru paid them no mind. He had a job to do. "Set the generator here…"

Junk droids set the massive generator onto the patio ground. The machine extended a large satellite that aimed towards the sky. The machine whined as it powered up.

The satellite fired rings of energy upward. The rings splashed across the skies like lightning as thunder boomed throughout the air.

The five Rangers were on the scene in an instant. The heroes charged forward towards the generator, running against the panicked crowd fleeing the scene.

A swarm of junk droids marched forward to stop the Time Rangers.

As one, the Rangers slammed against a group of junk droids. Their fists and kicks smashed the droids' feeble armor and dented their bodies. Their movements were fluid, but edged, honed after dozens of battles against the drone grunts.

The Rangers pushed forward as the enemy ranks started to thin. The team split up and attacked individually, each with their own style that the junk droids could never hope to match.

Time Blue armed his double-bladed Vector Saber and moved through a group of five junk droids sparks flying as his blade cut through cold steel.

The Blue Ranger dashed past a droid while slashing through its body, gutting out its circuitry. Time Blue swung his blade upward in an 'x' pattern to slash through two more of the droids, as a fourth soldier closed in from the side.

Time Blue snapped around and parried a blow. The Blue Ranger chopped his blade down hard, running the weapon down from the soldier's neck to its hip. The Blue Ranger quickly cut down the fifth soldier, thrashing open its chest with his blade, exposing wiring that sparked from the impact.

Time Pink armed her Vol Sniper, a massive cannon that took two hands to hold.

The Pink Ranger aimed her weapon at a group of oncoming soldiers and fired. Bursts of pink energy shot forward and exploded against the grunts, blasting through their armor with bursts of spark that vaporized circuitry and wiring.

Time Pink shifted her aim to the right and opened fire on another group of soldiers. Six junk droids. Six pulse blasts ripped through the grunts' chests with massive bursts of spark. The droids crashed to the ground like scraps of metal.

Time Yellow slammed a kick against a soldier's chest. The Yellow Ranger smashed a knifehand chop against the back of the grunt's neck, knocking the droid to the ground.

Two soldiers closed in on the Yellow Ranger from behind. Time Yellow did not even have to turn to face them. Time Yellow leaned back and slammed his elbows against the two grunts' heads, shattering their faceplates and smashing their robotic skulls.

Another villain moved in for a frontal assault. Time Yellow swung his fist forward. His punch punctured through the villain's chest with a massive burst of spark.

Nearby, Time Green activated his Chrono Trigger's power.

The Green Ranger armed his twin Vector Sabers and spun like a tornado, a blur of motion while zipping back and forth across a group of junk droids, leaving a trail of spark and thrashed circuitry in his wake.

Time Red armed his twin Vector Sabers.

The Red Ranger used his left blade to parry a blow and smashed the handle of his right blade across the grunt's head. A second soldier charged forward. Time Red snapped an outer crescent kick that bashed the grunt aside.

Junk droids swarmed around him.

"Assault Vector!" Time Red shouted. Armor segments wrapped around a saber and formed the Red ranger's assault rifle.

Time Red charged forward and aimed his rifle steady. He triggered a volley of golden pulse blasts that splashed across a group of junk droids. The energy formed a shell around the villain's and shattered with a burst of light, vaporizing the soldiers.

Another wave of the grunts closed in towards Time Red from the side. Time Red continued his charge forward while swinging his weapon to the side and trigging another volley of pulse blasts. The blasts splashed across the junk droids and vaporized them with bursts of light.

Another wave of soldiers swarmed in from all side. Time Red rolled across the ground and rose to his knees, swinging his weapon around while triggering a volley of pulse blasts. The blasts vaporized the soldiers.

The Red Ranger rose to his feet and charged forward towards Jyaguru and the generator. The other Rangers formed around their leader. Jyaguru stood firm while watching their advance.

The Ranger stopped within several meters and snapped into fighting stances.

"I don't know what that is," Time Red shouted, "but you have ten seconds to shut it off!"

"Ten seconds?" The criminal raised his rifle. "I'm afraid you'll be dead by then."

Jyaguru triggered a volley of blasts with his rifle. The Rangers dove aside to avoid the blasts, which exploded against the pavement with massive bursts of spark, blowing craters in the ground.

Sirens blared from down the streets as police cars drove towards the scene. Jyaguru slowly swung his weapon towards the vehicles and fired. His bullets pierced through the cars' engines and exploded through the gas tanks, causing the cars to erupt and exploded with massive plumes of flame and smoke.

The Silver Guardians' black SUVs suddenly skid to a halt behind the burning wreckage of the patrol cars. The doors swung open, and soldiers dressed in black jumpsuits piled out. The Guardians split into three squads and spread out.

Alpha Squad took formation on top of a concrete staircase leading away from the patio. They assumed firing formation and aimed their weapons at the junk droids gathered around the generator below.

Nine of the Alpha Squad soldiers crouched and assembled three grenade launchers on tripods.

"Fire!" the leader shouted.

Alpha Squad triggered their weapons. Bullets shot forward with a sound like thunder. Each bullet was explosive tipped and energized with a sonic, vibration field. Bullets punctured through the junk droids and exploded with massive bursts of spark, thrashing through wiring and circuitry, blasting holes in the soldiers.

The grenade launcher launched spheres that exploded among the droids with bursts of spark, sending shrapnel ripping through each of the soldiers.

Jyaguru stalked towards the second squad of Guardians.

Three of the soldier stepped forward. The three Guardians wore a high-tech disks embedded on their chests. They placed their palms over the discs. "SWAT mode!"

The disks flashed with energy, activating the soldiers variable gears. Black armor that resembled high-tech SWAT uniforms wrapped around their bodies. The three Guardians armed double-barreled assault rifles.

Jyaguru was not impressed. The villain extended his rifle and fired. Explosions sparked around the three Guardians as they dove and rolled for cover, their armor flooding their bodies with adrenaline, strengthen their muscles to make them move faster than an Olympian-level athlete.

The armored Guardians rolled into crouched positions as data flashed across their black visors. Targeting sensors locked onto the villain's weak points.

The three Guardians opened fire. Their rapid-fire rifles sounded like chainsaws, spraying vibro-coated, explosive-tipped bullets. The bullets exploded against Jyaguru, but the villain barely budged.

Jyaguru fired his weapon. Explosions sparked around the three Guardians, knocking them off their feet.

One of the armored Guardians rolled into a crouched position before springing forward and charging towards the villain. The Guardian opened fire with his weapon, spraying bullets at the criminal.

Jyaguru dove aside and triggered a blast from his rifle. The blast exploded against the Guardian's hand with a massive burst of spark that incinerated the soldier's gauntlet, tore through his flesh, and shattered his bones.

The Guardian dropped to the ground, screaming as he clutched the stump that used to be his left hand.

Jyaguru laughed as he blasted the Guardian's head off with a single shot from his rifle.

The second Guardian charged forward, screaming at the top of his lungs while holding his SWAT rifle above his head. The soldier swung the end of his weapon towards the villain's head.

Jyaguru grabbed the rifle with one hand, and used his other hand to aim his rifle forward and blast a gaping hole through the center of the Guardian's chest.

Nearby, a black sedan pulled to a stop. A window in the back of the vehicle rolled down. Mr. Collins sat in the back of the car. He watched as the Time rangers surrounded the criminal and attacked with flurries of kicks and punches.

Collins narrowed his eyes. "Time Rangers…"

What was he paying his men for? To sit back and watch the rangers do all the fighting?

Jyaguru grabbed Time Yellow and Time Blue by their necks and slammed them against each other repeatedly before tossing them aside. Time Blue and Time Yellow tumbled across the ground as the Rangers regrouped.

Time Red pounced forward and snapped a jumpkick towards the villain's head. The kick slammed against the villain's armor, but the criminal stood his ground. Jyaguru thrust his hands back and forth against the Red Ranger's chest. The villain's armored gauntlet sparked with each impact, thrashing across the Red Ranger's armor.

Jyaguru followed with a powerful punch that bashed Time Red off his feet and sent the Red Ranger tumbling across the ground.

Time Red struggled to rise to his feet as the criminal stalked towards him.

Then Alpha squad filed in line in front of the Red ranger while facing the villain. Eric was among the soldiers that aimed their weapons at the criminals.

"Don't," Time Red said as he stepped forward between the soldiers' ranks. "You'll get yourselves killed."

Eric narrowed his eyes. Something about the Red ranger's voice sounded familiar.

The squad leader ignored the Red ranger's warning and tightened his grip on his weapon. "Fire!"

The Guardians opened fire. Their bullets cut through the air, blasting against the criminal's armor with bursts of spark.

Jyaguru laughed mockingly and fired at the soldiers' feet, sparks tearing across the pavement and knocking the soldiers and Red Ranger backward. They crashed against the ground as the criminal stalked towards them.

The red beret fell of the leader's head as he looked up to see the criminal stalk towards him.

Jyaguru raised his rifle and fired.

"No!" Time Red shouted as he pushed the leader aside.

The criminal's blast exploded against the Red Ranger's helmet with a massive burst of spark that shattered half his faceplate. The blast slammed Time Red backward, sending him crashing against the ground.

The Guardians slowly rose to their feet. They opened their eyes wide with shock beneath their shades, staring at the unmoving Red Ranger. Even Collins' eyes were glued to the fallen Ranger's form.

Then Time Red stirred. The Red Ranger slowly rose to his feet, his broken faceplate giving away a good part of his face.

Eric's breath caught in his throat. He pulled off his shades to make sure his eyes weren't fooling him. "Collins?" he said in disbelief.

Mr. Collins opened his eyes wide as he felt his own heart pound in his chest. He swung the car door open and stormed towards the battle scene.

Jyaguru raised his rifle and aimed at the injured Red Ranger. "Time to die…"

Time Blue and Time Pink suddenly tackled the criminal and forced him back to keep him from firing.

Time Red pulled himself together, watching as his teammates slammed against the criminal. The Red Ranger started to jog forward to help his friends, but Eric called after him.

"Collins!" Eric shouted from behind.

Time Red stopped and turned to face Eric. Blood dripped down the Ranger's face. Burn marks had scorched his helmet. Time Red and Eric made eye contact for a moment, not saying a word. Eric's face was stone cold, his brow knitted with confusion.

Time Red turned and started running to help his friends. But this time, his father blocked his path.

"Wesley…it…you're a Time Ranger?" Mr. Collins stammered. "You're…this is why…why _you_?"

"Father," Time Red said, his voice surprisingly calm. "Fighting the Londaraz isn't your business. You need to let it go."

Time Red started past his father, but Mr. Collins grabbed his son by the arm. "Wait!" The man's brow knitted with confusion as his body shook with anger. "Explain this to me! How were you involved in this? What are the Time Rangers?"

"I can't explain now," Time Red said as he pulled his arm free. "Just call off your Guardians. Before they all get themselves killed."

Time Red started to run off.

"Wesley!" Mr. Collins called after his son.

Eric watched the exchange from nearby and called out to the Red Ranger. "Wesley, you should listen to your father!"

Time Red was already gone.

* * *

Jyaguru toyed with the four Rangers. The villain smashed the end of his rifle against Time Green's faceplate. The Green Ranger lost his balance, and the criminal slammed his rifle against Time Green's gut.

Time Green crashed to the ground. Jyaguru merely kicked Time Green aside as Time Yellow and Time Blue charged towards him.

The villain triggered a volley of blasts. Time Blue and Time Yellow dove for cover as explosions sparked around them.

Time Pink energized her Vector Saber and swung the weapon forward while triggering an energy-blade blast. Jyaguru dodged the blast with ease. The criminal swung his weapon back around and fired a volley of blasts that exploded around the four Rangers with bursts of spark, knocking them off their feet.

Jyaguru stalked towards the four fallen Rangers with his rifle aimed forward.

An explosion suddenly sparked against the villain's hand, blasting the criminal's rifle away. "What in the nine hells?!"

The villain turned to see Time Red charging forward with his Assault Vector rifle in hand. Jyaguru extended his hand towards the Red Ranger. The villain's gauntlet fired invisible energy pulses at Time Red.

Sparks exploded around Time Red as he continued his advance. Blasts ripped across the ground around him and thrashed across his armor, but he kept moving forward. Time Red triggered a volley of golden pulse blasts that splashed across the criminal. The energy formed a shell around the villain and shattered with a burst of light and sparks, thrashing across his armor.

Time Red leapt through the air and angled his descent towards the criminal while arming his double Vector Sabers.

"Time Strike!" Time Red shouted as he held both blades at a 12 o'clock position. The blades powered up with crimson energy and swung downward in streaks of red light, slashing across the monster's armor and exploding with a burst of spark on impact.

"Chrono Launcher," Time Red commanded as the five Rangers regrouped.

The five Rangers combined their weapons into a bazooka. Time Green, Time Blue, Time Yellow, and Time Pin stood at the weapon's sides, while Time Red grasped the weapon from behind.

"Target…locked on," Time Red said as his visor zeroed in on the villain. "Chrono Launcher, fire!"

The bazooka shot an energy pulse that streaked towards the criminal. The blast exploded against the criminal, knocking him backward. Jyaguru's body froze and shrunk down.

Time Red walked over and held his badge above the suspended criminal. The badge flashed with golden power and formed a containment tube, imprisoning the criminal.

* * *

Mr. Collins and Eric stood in the distance. They watched as the other Rangers gathered around Time Red, asking if he was alright and congratulating him. The group laughed and started to walk off.

Collins was shocked beyond words.

Eric narrowed his eyes as the Time Rangers walked off.

* * *

The skies above suddenly started to crack as if made from glass. Flashes of light scorched the sky as thunder sounded, shaking the ground below.

The Rangers looked up to see tears continued to crack along the skies.

The thunder and quaking suddenly stopped.

The tears shattered, revealing an time portal. The portal flashed violently with energy as a massive figure erupted from the wormhole. The figure materialized on the streets below. It was a massive, armored zord that resembled a Tyrannosaurus. Twin cannons were mounted on the zord's back.

The zord roared, a deafening sound that shattered windows nearby.

"What is that thing?" Time Red asked.

Time Green was the first to recognize it. "It's the V-Rex! It was lost through the Time Gate because of an accident during our century."

The massive zord charged forward aimlessly, shouldering his way through buildings, which exploded as V-Rex plowed through. The zord's feet tore through walkways as rubble crashed onto the streets below.

Gien watched from afar, his eyes shining with amusement as the V-Rex approached the city bullet train. V-Rex lifted the train with both hands while biting down hard on its center, armored teeth tearing through the train with bursts of spark.

Time Red activated his communicator. "Takku!"

"Yokai," Takku answered. The droid activated his temporal transceiver. "3-D system, stand by for launch!"

As always, Takku wondered who the strange man was who sent them Time Jets when they were needed.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 3006AD**_

In the north section of the city sat a circular command complex with several rectangular buildings webbing out from the main compound. A yellow and black giant-sized robo stomped around the perimeter of the compound near a tall gate shaped like an upside down 'V.' A runway connected the gate to the complex.

A lone figure sat in the observatory that looked out upon the runway. He answered Takku's call.

A platform of five Time Jets surfaced at the end of the runway. The platform rotated and lined the red-trimmed jet into position.

The Providus zord swung its massive fist towards the Time Jet. The fist smashed against the Time Jet and throttled the vessel forward. The Time Jet accelerated closer to the Time Gate, and disappeared through the gate, leaving a trail of energy vapor in its wake.

One-by-one, Providus slammed the Time Jets through the Gate. The five zords flew in tight formation and throttled backward through the time stream as the Time Shadow lined up to launch next.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 2006AD**_

A wormhole opened in the sky and the five zords streaked through, swooping down into the atmosphere.

"Time Flier," Time Red commanded as the Time Flier hovered past their location.

The Time Rangers leapt onto the Flier. The Flier carried them over their five Time Jets, traveling at frightful speeds. Time Red and the others jumped off the Time Flier and fell into their cockpits.

"3-D Formation…" Time Red commanded as he grasped control levers to his side. "Time Robo, Alpha!"

The Time Jets stayed in tight formation and flew across the streets as they streets, Each zord started to reassemble and combine into a giant, red-armored zord. The 3-D formation completed as the Rangers activated their zord: the Time-Force Megazord, Mode Red.

A shadow started to cover the sun like an eclipse. The shadow darkened the streets below. Rangers and villains looked up, not sure what was happening. Then the eclipse revealed itself to be a time portal. A V-shaped ship blasted through the portal.

The zord climbed upward and twisted while in mid-flight. Time Shadow started to change shape and form a warrior mode. The black zord armed two double-edged blue blades, and its eyes pulsed with pale-blue energy.

The two zords landed side-by-side in front of the massive V-Rex. The V-Rex roared with all its fury as the Time-Force Megazord and Time Shadow stepped back into defensive stances.

Below, Collins and Eric looked up at the zords with alarm. The Silver Guardians were regrouping nearby. They lifted their squad leader's dead body from the pavement. The man's cold hand was clutched around his red beret.

**To be continued…**


	11. Enter: Time Fire

**Enter: Time Fire**

V-Rex charged forward towards the Time-Force Megazord and Time Shadow.

V-Rex spun forward, whipping its massive tail across the Megazord and Time Shadow. Sparks flashed on impact, forcing the two zords backward.

V-Rex continued its advance and bit down hard on the Megazord's sword arm. V-Rex's teeth punctured the zord's armor with a burst of spark, tearing into the robo and knocking the saber free.

V-Rex pulled hard and whipped the Megazord off its feet. Time-Force Megazord crashed against the ground and slid across the pavement.

Time Shadow locked its arms backward and swooped down towards V-Rex. Shoulder-mounted launchers opened fire. The missiles streaked towards V-Rex and exploded against the rogue zord, thrashing across its armor with massive bursts of spark and smoke.

V-Rex roared as if in pain while secondary explosions erupted around the streets.

Time Shadow swooped around V-Rex and opened fire again from a different angle. Missiles exploded against the zord, tearing through a segment of armor on V-Rex's neck.

Time Shadow moved in and attacked close range. Time Shadow thrashed its blade across V-Rex's wound. The saber sparked on impact, tearing across the rogue zord's damaged armor.

V-Rex stumbled backward but kept its balance.

Time Shadow moved in to attack again, but V-Rex fired a pair of crimson optic blasts. The optic blasts exploded against Time Shadow's chest armor, knocking the dark zord backward.

V-Rex turned back towards the Megazord and fired its shoulder-mounted cannons. Lances of red energy shot forth and exploded against the Megazord's armor with bursts of spark.

"Takku," Time Red said over his helmet communicator. "How are we supposed to beat this thing?"

"The V-Rex is equipped with a wrist command unit stored in its head," Takku explained. "If you access the command unit, you will be able to tame the V-Rex."

Time Green activated his helmet's scanner. "Chrono search…"

The Green Ranger's visor zeroed in on the head of the V-Rex. His scan showed no sign of a wrist command unit. "It's not there!"

* * *

Dr. William "Billy" Cranston sat in the center of a dark room. He leaned forward on a sleek rectangular table of black marble. A holographic projection of a black slab appeared. It was the slab labeled 011.

Billy held a small data pad in his hand. The pad showed a map of the industrial park along the northern outskirts of the city. The map had a red x inside of a half-vacant warehouse.

The x was labeled with the words: "V-Commander brace."

* * *

V-Rex fired its shoulder cannons. The blasts exploded against the Time-Force Megazord with a massive burst of spark that knocked the zord off its feet and jarred the Rangers from their cockpit.

The five Rangers crashed onto the streets below. Their armor shimmered like static and forcibly powered down. Wes was the most injured of the team. His vision blurred, and intense dizziness kept him off his feet. The ranger quickly slid into unconsciousness.

The V-Rex roared with pain and started digging through the ground, burrowing out of sight. The injured zord was escaping the battle scene to hide.

* * *

Eric opened his locker and hung his gun belt onto a hook. A data pad at the bottom of the locker caught his eye. He leaned down and lifted the pad.

The pad was a map of the industrial park along the northern outskirts of the city. A message was beneath the map: The Tyrannosaurus zord is called the V-Rex. This map will lead you to the zord's command brace, allowing you to control the V-Rex.

The note was signed by Dr. Cranston.

Eric smiled. The V-Rex would be his.

* * *

The V-Rex laid itself down in a massive cave. The zord growled softly as if in pain. The zord flicked its tail as its eyes flickered. The wound on its neck was still smoking. V-Rex flicked its tail a final time and went limp, shutting down all its systems except for its self-repair functions.

* * *

Gien walked into the main prison tower room at night to find Dorunero and Lira waiting up for him.

Lira narrowed her eyes at Gien. She pulled out a key to the X Vault, a key Gien had tried to keep secret. "Why were you hiding a Hell's Gate key? And what was that dinosaur doing in the city?"

Gien's eyes glowed slightly brighter with amusement. "I was saving the key for…special occasions like this one."

"Explain, droid," Dorunero said in between puffs of his cigar.

"The V-Rex," Gien said. "We can bring the zord under our control…"

* * *

Wes rested on the couch back at the office. He was still unconscious. Jenn gently laid a cold compress across his forehead.

Takku stood in his computer on his computer plug in console at Sion's desk. The droid explained the story of the V-Rex to the gathered rangers.

"V-Rex was created as a battle zord for the most elite member of Time Force," Takku said as the computer monitor displayed a picture of the V-Rex. "But no one was ever chosen to command the zord."

The computer image shifted to the futuristic landscape of Angel Grove. The massive V-Rex sprinted down the runway towards the V-shaped Time Gate. Seconds before the zord even entered the gate, V-Rex started to blur like static. The zord splashed through the invisible portal with a massive burst of crimson light.

"Time Force tested the V-Rex to see if it could travel through time," Takku explained. "The test failed. V-Rex has been lost in the time stream ever since. The controller must have been jarred from the V-Rex by the time hole, and lost as well."

"Why did the V-Rex come here?" Jenn asked.

It must have been searching for a way out, and found the time hole here," Takku said. "I am uncertain."

Lucas narrowed his eyes. "Why don't you know?"

"That data was not downloaded into me," Takku explained. "I am not even certain if this event was supposed to happen."

Odd, the rangers thought. The words "I don't know" rarely came from Takku. Either an event was supposed to happen in time, or it wasn't.

Damien cursed beneath his breath. He was beginning to hate time travel. "Who cares why it's here. We need to find that controller and stop it."

"Agreed," Jenn said.

Takku activated his scanners. "The controller will likely appear in this time period like the V-Rex did. I will start scanning the city."

"We'll go out on foot," Jenn said. Her gaze drifted to Wes, still out cold on the couch. "Takku…take care of Wes."

* * *

Dorunero was less than impressed with Gien's plan to gain control of the V-Rex. The crime boss leaned back and took a puff from his cigar. "Gien…your plan is missing something important."

Gien tilted his head. "And what is that?"

Dorunero slowly walked over to the droid. The crime boss put out his cigar on Gien's golden arm. "A plan! How can we gain control of the V-Rex?"

Gien turned to the racks of prisoners along the wall. He reached out and took one of the prisoner capsules. "Bri'nek can search for the V-Rex controller. He's good at that sort of thing…"

The droid set the containment unit into the cryogenic matrix. The matrix sealed shut as Gien walked over to the matrix control station.

The matrix filled with steam as twirling strands of energy twirled inside. Genetic material unraveled and reassembled The prisoner returned to his normal size.

The matrix hissed open as the criminal stepped forward. Bri'nek wore slender, dark-blue body armor. The villain had purple bug eyes on the sides of his white head. The skin on his neck was rough and segmented like small, dirt-gold bricks.

The criminal was armed with a blaster and double-edged blade.

* * *

The next day.

Mr. Collins walked down a hallway along with a business associate and Silver Guardian escort. The associate had a manila folder open and was reviewing paperwork while speaking.

"The Time Rangers keep interfering with our work," the businessman said. "Our productivity is…lacking."

Collins silently cursed. His thoughts drifted to Wes. The son who abandoned him. The son who was now, in a sense, working for the competition. Mr. Collins buried his emotions deep down and got back to business. "What's the status of the captain?"

"He's dead, sir," the businessman said. "He didn't stand a chance…if only we had access to the Time Ranger's weapons."

Collins sighed with frustration. "The Time Rangers…I'm beginning to hate the sound of that name."

Collins and his men slowly came to a stop when they noticed Eric walking straight towards them. The young man had a hard look of determination about him.

Eric saluted. "Sir…do you have a moment?"

"Say it quickly," Collins said.

"I want you to make me captain," Eric said. The young man took a bold step forward when he noticed Mr. Collins raise his eyebrows in disbelief. "I have the will to fight against Time Red."

A slight grin curled on Eric's lips.

Collins looked back to his escort. "I want you to be the captain."

Eric's grin sank into an expression of stone-cold anger.

Collins looked back to Eric. "I won't let some stranger take the position. You're dismissed."

Eric rolled his hands into fists as Mr. Collins and his men walked by. The young man slowly pulled out the data pad from Dr. Cranston. "We'll see…"

* * *

Bri'nek held a portable scanner while walking through a group of warehouses on the northern edge of the city. A group of junk droids accompanied him. The villain had tracked an energy signal believed to be the V-Commander to this location.

The villain stopped in his tracks and looked up when he saw Jenn and the other three rangers blocking his path.

"You won't get what you're looking for…" Jenn said as she and the others activated their braces.

"Chrono Trigger!" They slapped their braces' activation panels. Streams of data swirled around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms, their backs towards the villain when they landed.

The four Rangers snapped around to face the villain while shouting their names.

"Time Pink!"

"Blue!"

"Green"

"Yellow!"

They thrust their badges forward. "Time Ranger!"

"Time Ranger…" Bri'nek said with amusement as he unsheathed a slender, double-bladed sword. "Care to test your metal against mine?"

"Vector Sabers!" Time Pink commanded. The four Rangers armed their double-blades Vector Sabers and charged towards the villain to attack.

Bri'nek sprinted towards the Rangers. The villain blocked a blow from Time Pink and slapped her blade away while dashing past her. Time Blue and Time Yellow moved in from opposite sides, but Bri'nek quickly parried their blows with two swipes of his sword.

Bri'nek swung his weapon upward, the blade slashing across Time Blue's chest with a burst of spark, and swung to the left, slashing his blade across Time Yellow's helmet.

Time Green moved in from behind and swung his sword towards the criminal's neck. Bri'nek spun around and dodged the saber while slashing the Green Ranger across the chest, the villain's blade sparking against Time Green's armor.

Time Pink and Time Yellow moved back in to attack. Bri'nek swung his blades in an 'x' pattern to parry the Rangers' blows. The villain spun past Time Pink while slashing across her armor and cutting across Time Yellow's armor with a single move, sparks thrashing across the Rangers' armor from the strike.

Time Blue swung the right end of his saber downward. The criminal blocked the blow, but Time Blue twisted his wrist and used the other end of his saber to knock the villain's sword away. The Blue ranger pressed forward with a roundkick that slammed against the criminal's side.

Bri'nek ducked under Time Blue's crescent kick, and leapt over the Blue Ranger's sweep kick. Bri'nek jumped over Time Blue while kicking the Ranger in the back.

Bri'nek leapt through the air and landed on a nearby boxcar. The villain drew his blaster and aimed downward, firing lances of blue energy that exploded against the Rangers' armor with bursts of spark, whipping them off their feet.

* * *

Wes eyes slowly opened as he sat up on the couch. "God…my head." He looked to Takku. "Where are the others?"

"They are trying to stop the Londaraz from getting control of the V-Commander, which will allow them to control the V-Rex," Takku said.

Wes sprang to his feet and grabbed his jacket. "Why didn't you wake me."

Takku was about to explain, but Wes was already out the door. Takku hovered off his perch and followed.

* * *

Back at the industrial park, junk droids with portable scanners moved to the base of an old warehouse. Their scanners lit up, indicating that the V-Commander was near. The soldiers moved to a fire escape along the outside of the warehouse and started marching upward in small groups.

Takku hovered in the air nearby, almost frantic to get the rangers to stop Dorunero's people from gaining control of the control brace.

Some of the soldiers stayed on the ground when their sensors heard the roaring sound of a motorcycle approach. They looked to see Eric riding towards the warehouse.

Eric skid his motorcycle to a halt, broadside facing the soldiers. Eric drew his gun and opened fire. High-tech bullets blasted through the droids, their armor bursting with sparks as the weapon tore through their circuitry.

Eric adjusted his aim to the right and opened fire again. Rounds of bullets punctured through junk droids with bursts of spark, knocking the soldiers down like heaps of scrap metal.

Eric removed his helmet and looked down at the map. "This is the right place…"

He looked up just as three junk droids rushed towards him. Eric swung himself off his cycle while bashing his weapon's handle across a droid's head. He ducked underneath a second soldier's outstretched arms and sprang forward, dashing towards the catwalk.

Takku watched with growing concern as Eric sprinted up the catwalk, closer to the V-Commander. The droid opened his comm line with the Rangers. "A Guardian is after the control brace too. They can not be allowed to gain control of the V-Rex either."

Eric ran as fast as he could up the winding steps.

"Hurry," Takku warned the Rangers.

* * *

Time Blue and the Rangers had other problems. They rolled across the ground and regrouped as Bri'nek stalked towards them.

"Vector Saber!" Time Blue shouted as he swung his weapon forward and triggered it.

The Blue Ranger fired a blue energy blade that shot towards the villain like a bullet. But Bri'nek used his sword to deflect the blast and opened fire with his blaster. Lances of blue energy exploded against the Rangers' armor, knocking them off their feet.

* * *

Eric moved onto the third level of the fire escape and saw four junk droids on the steps above. Eric immediately raised his weapon and opened fire. Bullets shot through the droids, puncturing their armor and exploding through circuitry.

Eric ran forward, stepping over the fallen soldiers and continuing his ascent. He looked over his shoulder and cursed beneath his breath when he noticed a group of junk droids following him.

Eric made it to the L-shaped building's lower roof and ran to the second catwalk. Bullets sparked around him as soon as his foot touched the steps. The Guardian ducked for cover and looked to see junk droids march onto the lower roof from the first catwalk.

Eric hopped off the steps as four soldiers started to surround him. He blocked a soldier's blow and kicked the grunt in the chest, but the soldier barely budged. The Guardian snapped around and slammed the handle of his gun across a second soldier's head.

Eric turned back to face the first soldier and pistol-whipped that grunt as well. Eric used his gun's handle to strengthen his every strike, bashing the junk droids aside one-by-one, his muscles aching with every blow.

The last junk droid fell. Eric looked down at the fallen soldiers and took a moment to catch his breath.

"Later," he said to the fallen soldiers as he turned and sprinted up the second catwalk.

Eric ran onto the roof, his eyes darting back and forth. He noticed a small metallic box trimmed with red and black nearby a group of crates. That had to be it, Eric told himself. The Guardian sprinted over and picked up the box with both hands.

The whining of gears sounded nearby. Eric looked up to see two junk droids marching towards him with their sword blasters aimed forward. Eric took a step back, knowing they would shoot him down the second he moved for his own weapon.

Eric took another step back. He couldn't run either. His legs were too tired to sprint fast enough. He was out of options.

The junk droids opened fire.

Time Red suddenly leapt onto the scene as if from nowhere and tackled Eric aside as bullets exploded around them.

Time Red and Eric went tumbling off the roof and falling towards a neighboring warehouse. They splintered through a wooden wall and crashed against a cement floor, rolling out of control before skidding to a halt in the dark room.

"Collins…" Eric said, still out of breath as he and Time Red rose to their feet. "What the hell are you doing here."

"Saving your butt," Time Red said.

Junk droids suddenly marched through the hole in the warehouse wall and moved in to attack Eric and Time Red.

Time Red stood in front of Eric. "Get out of here. This is my job."

Eric shoved Time Red aside. "You wish, Collins."

The junk droids attacked.

Eric ducked and rolled underneath a soldier's saber. The Guardian rose back to his feet and slammed the box across a soldier's head. He looked to his right and smashed the end of the box against a second soldier's faceplate.

Muscles burning with fatigue, Eric turned and used the box to block another soldier's saber. Eric knocked the saber aside and slammed the box across the grunt's head.

Nearby, Time Red high blocked a soldier's blow and slammed a punch against the droid's chest. The Red Ranger snapped a crescent kick that smashed the soldier aside. A second soldier moved in to attack, but Time Red knocked that grunt's sword away and slammed a knifehand chop against the back of the droid's neck.

The droid crashed to the ground. Time Red slammed a drop elbow against the droid to finish it off.

Eric was getting tired and sluggish. He slammed the box against a soldier's gut and smashed the box across the back of the soldier's head.

The Guardian took a few steps back to get enough distance to draw his weapon. Eric held the box with his left hand and aimed his gun with his right hand. The Guardian opened fire with a volley of bullets that ripped through several junk droids with bursts of spark.

Eric kept pulling the trigger, but ran out of ammo. He opened his eyes wide with shock.

Junk droids swarmed the Guardian when they realized he was out of bullets. Eric used the box to bash a soldier aside, but a second junk droid knocked him to the ground. The droid swung its saber down towards Eric's head.

Eric used the box to block the blow and kick the droid aside.

"Eric!" Time Red shouted as he twisted a droid's sword arm down.

A grunt took advantage of Time Red's distraction and slammed the end of its saber against the back of the Red ranger's neck. Time Red crashed to the ground from the blow's impact.

Eric rolled to his feet and looked up to see a junk droid aiming its blaster sword. The droid opened fire. Eric ducked and lifted the box. Bullets exploded against the box with bursts of spark, shielding Eric.

The box pulsed with golden energy as if jarred awake by the junk droid's attack. Eric narrowed his eyes as he looked down at the glowing box between his hands. "What the -"

The box emitted rays of golden light that crashed against all the junk droids, knocking them backward.

Time Red slowly rose to his feet as the light stopped.

Eric looked at the box with a quizzical expression on his face.

Then a computerized, female voice spoke from the box. "Now, I'll start up. Put your left hand into the box…" the computer's voice instructed.

Eric inspected the box closely. "Do what…"

Takku hovered into the warehouse and spoke to Time Red. "Wes, stop him! If he puts that on, it will think he is its commander!"

Eric smirked when he overheard. He set the box down and slowly placed his hand into its opening. The box flashed with golden power and flowed across his forearm, materializing into a red, black-trimmed control brace.

"V-Commander mounted. I'll record your voice," the brace's computer said. "Input a start-up code. Quantum Fire. Quantum Fire."

"Eric," Time Red pleaded. "Take that thing off."

Eric smirked as he rose back to his feet. He rolled his left hand into a fist and raised the brace closer to his mouth. He kept his eyes on Time Red the whole time. Eric twisted his wrist and took a deep breath before shouting. "Quantum Fire!"

The brace flashed with golden energy. Electric discharges lashed out, exploding inside the warehouse and collapsing the ceiling. Time Red rolled aside to avoid falling debris. He looked up to see a new warrior standing in the flames.

His armor was almost identical to Time Red's, only edged liked flames, and black where Time Red's armor was white.

Takku scanned the armor. "I've never heard of this suit…"

But why?

* * *

Eric felt like each cell in his body was burning with power. He tightened his muscles as the fiery sensation intensified. The feeling burned away his fatigue and pain. Only the fiery power remained. And the fiery power needed release.

* * *

Bri'nek fired lances of blue energy that exploded around the four Rangers as they rolled for cover. Time Pink rolled into a crouched position and activated her Vol weapon.

"Vol Sniper!" she shouted while triggering the weapon.

Pink pulse blasts exploded around Bri'nek with bursts of spark as he dove across the ground and rolled top the side. The villain moved into a crouched position and fired a blue energy lance that exploded against Time Pink's chest, the impact snapping her body backward and throwing her off her feet.

The others regrouped around Time Pink and helped her to her feet. Time Yellow tightened his fists. "We need the Chrono Launcher."

Time Blue shook his head. "We can't form it without Wes."

Bri'nek laughed as he stalked towards the Rangers with his gun held forward. But a blast suddenly exploded against his hand with a burst of spark, knocking the gun to the ground and injuring the villain.

Bri'nek clutched his injured arm and looked around for his unseen attacker. "Show yourself, coward!"

A tapping noise sounded through the air. Bri'nek turned to see a red-armored Ranger standing on top of a fire escape. The Ranger was leaning back in an arrogant posture while tapping a blaster against the back of his hand.

Bri'nek rolled back his bug eyes with anger. "You! Time Ranger!"

The Ranger turned and looked down at the villain. "Not quite, brick neck," the Ranger said in a cold, mocking voice. "I'm the Quantum Ranger…Time Fire."

Bri'nek extended his hand and tossed a bunch of bolts onto the ground. "Zenitto!" The bolts formed a group of junk droids that marched towards the fire escape.

Time Fire slowly walked to the railing of the fire escape. "Good. Target practice."

Time Fire snapped into a two-handed firing stance and extended his blaster downward. The Quantum Ranger fired lances of red energy that exploded through the junk droids below, burning through their armor and puncturing their bodies with massive bursts of spark.

Time Fire shifted his stance and held his weapon in his right hand. The Quantum Ranger triggered a volley of energy lances that exploded through another group of the junk droids.

Meanwhile, Time Red ran over to his teammates while clutching his injured arm. "Guys!"

"Wes," Time Pink said, relieved he was okay. "What's going on?"

"That's Eric," Time Red explained. "He got the V-Commander."

Time Fire leapt off the fire escape and landed on the pavement below as junk droids swarmed around him. The Quantum Ranger lifted his blaster as data scrolled across his visor. The weapon was called the DV-Defender, and had a vulcan mode and blade mode. "DV-Defender," Time Fire commanded. "Vulcan mode."

The Quantum Ranger looked to his left and triggered lances of red energy that burned through a group of junk droids, each high-powered blast sparking as it tore through circuits and wiring in the droids' bodies.

Time Fire shifted his aim to the right and fired another volley of energy blasts that exploded against a wall of incoming junk droids, puncturing through their bodies and knocking them off their feet.

Junk droids closed in from all sides.

Time Fire spun around while holding his finger down tightly against his weapon's trigger. Lances of red energy shot forth and exploded through the droids.

Time Fire stepped back into a defensive stance as another wave of junk droids marched towards him. "DV-Defender. Blade Mode."

Time Fire snapped his blaster out into its slender blade mode. The Quantum Ranger tightened his grip on the weapon and leapt through the air to attack the junk droids. Time Fire landed while chopping his blade through a junk droid, his blade a streak of golden energy.

Time Fire spun forward while slashing open a second soldier's chest with a burst of spark. The Quantum Ranger twisted his wrist and swung his weapon through another arc with a streak of golden energy, slashing through a junk droid's head.

The Quantum Ranger dashed forward, a blur of motion as his blade slashed through droid armor and circuitry like a heated knife through butter. The blazing sword thrashed away soldiers left and right before they could even attack, each strike sparking on impact, reducing the junk droids to scrap metal.

Time Fire let the burning in his veins fuel his every strike. The Quantum Ranger tore through the junk droids with a blaze of power and precision.

Time Fire dashed past three soldiers while swinging his blade through two powerful arcs, each blow tearing through the droids. The Quantum Ranger spun through a group of five droids, ripping through their chests with horizontal strikes and cleaving through their bodies with diagonal blows.

Time Fire finished his spin while snapping a roundhouse kick that smashed across a soldier's head. The Quantum Ranger swung a backhand strike to thrash open that droid's chest with a burst of spark.

Time Fire smashed sidekick against a soldier to his right and looked back to his left while using his blade to decapitate a droid. The Quantum Ranger kicked the headless grunt away.

Bri'nek closed in on Time Fire. The villain held his weapon tight and leapt through the air towards the Quantum Ranger.

Time Fire leapt against the side of a boxcar and pushed off, leaping through the air towards his opponent while holding his DV-Defender blade high.

The two opponents clashed blades in midair. Time Fire quickly twisted his sword and swung towards the villain's head, but Bri'nek blocked the blow with his own saber.

Time Fire and Bri'nek pushed off of each other and backflipped through the air in opposite directions. They landed on the ground and snapped into fighting stances while facing each other.

Time Fire shifted his stance monitoring for weaknesses in the villain's defense. The Quantum Ranger kept a close eyes on the villain's upper body to try and anticipate his next move.

Bri'nek shifted his stance, holding his blade back. "Time Fire…your first fight will be your last…"

Bri'nek drew a blaster and fired a lance of blue energy at the Quantum Ranger.

Time Fire dropped onto his back as the blast passed over him and switched his weapon to vulcan mode, triggering lances of crimson energy that exploded against the villain's chest armor. The blasts sparked on impact and whipped the villain off his feet, knocking his blaster from his hand as he tumbled across the ground, smoke still rising from his armor.

The Quantum Ranger stepped back in a fighting stance and waited for Bri'nek to rise back to his feet. The automated voice on his brace spoke again. "Final mode, DV Freezer, standing by…"

Data flashed across Time Fire's helmet. "Freezer…?" He didn't understand, but didn't question. "DV-Defender…final mode."

Time Fire extended his blade. The weapon pulsed with deep blue energy. The Quantum Ranger charged forward as Bri'nek stumbled back to his feet.

The villain chopped his weapon down towards the approaching Ranger. But Quantum Ranger high blocked the blow while spinning forward and slashing Bri'nek horizontally, his blade a streak of blue energy as it slashed across the villain's body, sparking on impact.

Time Fire turned back towards the villain, his blade pulsing with blue fire.

"DV Freezer!" Time Fire shouted as he swung his weapon downward in an x-shaped pattern, streaks of energy thrashing through the villain's body.

Bri'nek stumbled backward as tendrils of blue energy danced across his body like electricity, exploding with bursts of spark that tore through his armor.

Time Fire holstered his weapon as Bri'nek fell backward and exploded with a final discharge of energy. The attack caused a chain reaction in the criminal, causing him to shrink down and enter a state similar to cryogenic suspension.

The computer on his brace spoke again. "Press: Freeze Completed."

The other rangers started in amazement as Time Fire walked towards them.

Time Red slowly walked forward. The two red-armored Rangers stopped in their tracks and stood facing each other.

"Eric…" Time Red said quietly.

Beneath his helmet, a smug grin crossed Time Fire's face.

**To be continued…**


	12. Time Fire's Cry

**Time Fire's Cry**

Eric walked towards the other rangers with a smug grin on his face. Junk droid parts and scrap still littered the ground of the industrial park around them. Eric held up the morpher on his left wrist.

"Thanks for helping me get this brace, Collins," Eric said with a subtle, mocking tone to his voice. The Guardian turned and started to walk away.

"Eric, wait," Wes called.

Eric stopped and turned back around. Jenn took a step towards him with her arms crossed over her chest. "Do you even know what you're supposed to do with that?"

Eric smiled with amusement. "This is what controls the V-Rex, right?"

The rangers were stunned. How did Eric find out about the brace's connection to the V-Rex zord that had rampaged through the city.

"Don't look so surprised," Eric said. "You guys aren't the only ones in this game anymore, Collins." He gave Wes a mock salute and walked off. "I'll be seeing you later…"

* * *

Dorunero, Lira, and Gien gathered in the prison tower and watched a video display of Time Fire's first battle. The Quantum Ranger slashed through junk droids with blinding speed.

Lira snarled at the sight. "A new Time Ranger…"

Dorunero glared at Gien. "Your plan failed, droid. Now this Quantum Ranger has control of the V-Rex. You wasted a perfectly good prisoner for nothing…"

Gien pulled a prisoner capsule out from behind his back. "We still have a chance, Don Dorunero…a chance to gain control of the V-Rex before Time Fire…"

* * *

Mr. Collins sat back in his desk chair as Eric stood in front of him. Collins had a look of utter disbelief on his face. "You're telling me that you have the same armor and weapons as the Time Rangers?"

Eric nodded and pointed to the morpher on his left wrist. "And that's not all…This brace will let me take control of the V-Rex."

Collins narrowed his eyes. "Actions speak louder than words. So prove it."

* * *

Sion sat at his computer while the others stood behind him. The youngest ranger was analyzing Takku's data from Time Fire's battle. His fingers danced across the keyboard while Takku uploaded information from his data port next to the monitor.

Wes could not help but be impressed at some of the finer details of the suit. "So this is the Quantum Ranger, armor, huh?"

Sion nodded. "But this isn't much…just basic surface scans. We still don't know anything about this Ranger."

The rangers had hoped detailed scans and information would help formulate a plan about what to do with the V-Rex and Quantum Ranger. The V-Rex was going to recover soon, and its rampage through the city would start again.

Lucas sighed and crossed his arms. "So we basically have nothing to work with here."

Wes grabbed his jacket and started for the door. "I'll try talking to Eric again. See if I can get some sense into him."

"If that doesn't work, beat the crap out of him and take his morpher," Damien said only half jokingly.

* * *

V-Rex stirred within its cavern as the last of its injuries healed. The zord rose to its feet and started activating all its systems.

The criminal Gien released entered the cave and approached the V-Rex from behind. The villain wore a bulky suit of camouflage armor and carried a staff, topped with a wedged hammer. His name was Master Hunter.

"Ah…"Master Hunter said as he looked over the zord. "The mighty V-Rex…"

V-Rex turned and roared at the small criminal. The zord pounced forward to chomp down on criminal. Master Hunter extended his gauntlet and fired a dart with a patch at its tip. The patch smacked against the zord's head.

V-Rex roared as if in pain while the patch took control of the V-Rex systems.

* * *

Wes sat uncomfortably in the lobby of Silver Guardian's headquarter building. Men and women in formal business attire entered and left the lobby through wide glass doors. Men with briefcases stepped off the elevators with cell phones in their hands. The scene was too familiar for Wes, and reeked of his father.

Wes had grown up in high-rise corporate offices and businesses. His father had seen to that, dragging Wes to nearly every meeting and outing when he was just a boy.

A woman escorted Eric over to Wes. The Guardian took a seat across from his former classmate. "Collins…stopping by for a little visit?"

"Eric," Wes pleaded. "You have to give us that V-Commander. Whatever you're planning has to stop."

"What I'm planning should be obvious," Eric said as he stood up and started walking towards the rear of the lobby. "Follow me…"

Wes followed Eric through a few winding hallways at the rear of the building. They went outside into a wide, secluded alley. Eric slammed the door shut hard.

"I thought we could use some privacy," Eric said as he lifted his morpher. "You want this, you'll have to come and take it."

Wes sighed with frustration. "I don't want to fight you for it. Look, just…The V-Rex is dangerous. And it's going to wake up soon. The city is in danger…"

"I'll be waiting when that zord wakes up," Eric said. "The V-Rex is mine."

"It's dangerous," Wes said firmly. "The V-Rex and Londaraz are my problem, Eric, not yours. And not my father's."

"Dangerous?" Eric said. He lifted his morpher again. "I don't think you understand…with this morpher, I have the same power as you and the Time Rangers. In fact, I'm betting I'm even stronger than you…"

* * *

The other rangers were back at the office around Sion's computer. Damien and Lucas were in the midst of a minor argument.

"He's not a Red Ranger," Lucas said. "He's the Quantum Ranger."

Damien sighed with frustration and rolled his eyes. "But he's still a red Ranger. In red armor."

"Boys," Jenn said sharply. "Knock it off."

Someone knocked on the office door. Jenn was thankful for the interruption. She walked over and opened it. Her eyes opened wide with surprise at the last person she expected to see.

"Mr. Collins…" she said. "Wes isn't here…"

"I'm not here to see Wesley," Mr. Collins said as he let himself in the office. He had a rough exterior about him, but was still visibly uncomfortable. He did not like mingling with the lower, working class. "I want to speak to the person in charge."

Jenn arced an eyebrow. She looked to the other rangers. Each of them were startled by Mr. Collins' appearance and not sure exactly how to act. Jenn crossed her arms over her chest. "What is it you want?"

"I have a proposition from you," Collins said. "All four of you. I want you to join my Silver Guardians. You owe it to this city and its businessmen…"

* * *

Wes raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "He's asking Jenn and the others to join his Silver Guardians? That's insane."

"Is it?" Eric said. "They'll form my new team. I'll be leading them…"

Wes scoffed. "They'd never agree to join my father."

"Are you so sure?" Eric said. "Think about it…they'd have the support of the entire Silver Guardian task force. Do you really think they could turn that down?"

Wes hesitated.

Eric smiled when he noticed Wes' uncertainty. The Guardian took a few steps closer to the ranger. Without warning, Eric slammed a hook punch across Wes's face. The blow whipped Wes backward, and he crashed onto the ground.

"If you win, you get the V-Commander," Eric said. "Now let's go."

Eric reached down and lifted Wes by the shirt collar before punching him across the face. Eric slammed a roundkick against Wes's side and cracked another punch across the ranger's jaw.

Wes spat blood from his mouth as he climbed to his feet. Years ago, while still in school, Wes had made a deal with his father. The deal was simple: if Wes won a certain martial arts competition, he could quit working for his father's company. If Wes lost, he would have to stay in his father's employ.

Wes had fought against Eric during that match. Wes lost by a single point.

Wes rolled his hands into fists and got back to his feet. _Father ruled my life while I was in college…_Wes thought. _I will never let that happen again... _

Eric snapped a jumpkick that Wes caught. Wes kicked Eric's other leg out from under him, causing the Guardian to fall onto his back. Wes leaned down to punch Wes in the chest, but Eric blocked the blow and kicked Wes's legs.

Wes stumbled backward as Eric snapped his leg up, kicking Wes in the gut. Wes crashed backward as Eric rose back to his feet.

Wes flipped back up and moved in to attack. Wes slammed jumpkick against Eric's gut and snapped an inner crescent kick across the Guardian's head. Eric crashed backward and tumbled across the pavement.

Eric rolled his hands into fists and pulled himself back to his feet. He glared at Wes and charged forward while arming his morpher. Wes narrowed his eyes at Eric and charged forward as well, arming his Chrono morpher in the meantime.

"Quantum Fire!" Eric shouted a fiery energy circled around his body, morphing him into his ranger form with a burst of crimson energy.

"Chrono Trigger!" Wes shouted as he slapped his brace's activation panel. Columns of data energy circled around him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

Time Fire snapped a front kick that Time Red blocked. The Quantum Ranger swung the back of his fist towards Time Red's helmet, but the Red Ranger blocked the blow, grabbing onto Time Fire's arm. The two Ranger twisted around each other and pushed off, each taking a step back.

* * *

Master Hunter stalked back towards the city while moving through the woods with his new prize. The criminal activated a remote control on his gauntlet, summoning the mighty V-Rex and commanding the zord to stomp forward.

The zord roared as if it was confused and in pain. V-Rex thrashed its tail as it plowed through the woods, breaking into a powerful sprint.

"Hey!" Master Hunter shouted. "Not that way!"

V-Rex was truly a difficult beast to tame.

* * *

Time Fire swung a flying knifehand chop towards Time Red's helmet. Time Red grabbed Time Fire's wrist and flipped the Quantum Ranger through the air. Time Fire crashed back-first onto the ground, but quickly snapped up his leg to kick Time Red backward.

Time Red crashed onto the ground and rolled back to his feet in time to block a roundkick from Time Red. Time Fire pushed forward with a cross punch and spinning kick that Time Red dodged.

Time Fire blocked a kick from Time Red and slammed the back of his fist across the Red Ranger's head. The blow dazed Time Red as Time Fire struck again, this time with a roundhouse kick that smashed across Time Red's helmet.

Time Red sidestepped and blocked a punch from Time Fire. The Red Ranger slammed a roundkick against Quantum Ranger's gut, and followed with a hook punch across Time Fire's helmet. Time Red swung another punch that the Red Ranger managed to parry.

Both red-armored Rangers reached back and swung punches at each other. Their punches sparked against each other's chests, knocking them both off their feet and sending them skidding backward across the pavement.

The two Rangers slowly rose to their feet and stepped back into fighting stances, smoke still rising from their armor. They breathed heavily, fatigued by the battle but not close to finished.

Then V-Rex's roar sounded from the distance. The two Rangers looked towards the city skyline and saw V-Rex stomping across the streets.

"V-Rex…" Time Red said quietly as he sprinted forward to run after the V-Rex.

While Time Red was distracted, Time Fire drew his DV-Defender and fired lances of crimson energy that exploded against the Red Ranger's armor. The blasts snapped Time Red's body back and sent him crashing against the ground.

"Don't even think about it, Collins. The V-Rex is mine," Time Fire said. "It's power is mine…"

The Quantum Ranger ran off towards the zord.

"Wait!" Time Red shouted as he watched Time Fire move off towards the distance.

* * *

V-Rex went berserker. The zord stomped through the streets, roaring loudly while smashing its tail through buildings and charging through anything that got in its way.

Master Hunter was on a rooftop nearby. The criminal tried to regain control of the zord, but could not. "V-Rex! Obey!"

The device on V-Rex's head crackled with electricity that sparked across the zord's armor. The emitter device wasn't working. It was only interfering with the zord's systems, making the V-Rex angry.

Time Fire ran across a patio area in front of a nearby skyscraper. Time Red was at his heels, following as fast as he could. Through the corner of his helmet, the Quantum Ranger noticed Jenn and the others run towards them.

"Excellent…" Time Fire said. "My team…"

Time Fire ran towards them. But Jenn and the others ran past him without sparing him a glance as they moved towards Time Red.

"So your plan went well then?" Damien said sarcastically.

Time Red smiled beneath his helmet.

Takku spoke to the Rangers via their communicators. "Rangers…you should be able to contain the V-Rex in Shadow Alpha's energy net."

"No," Time Fire said as he walked towards them. "I can tame the V-Rex."

Lucas shrugged. "Give it a try if you have to…"

Time Red nodded. "But we still have a job to do. Takku, bring in the cavalry."

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 3006AD**_

In the north section of the city sat a circular command complex with several rectangular buildings webbing out from the main compound. A yellow and black giant-sized robo stomped around the perimeter of the compound near a tall gate shaped like an upside down 'V.' A runway connected the gate to the complex.

A platform of five Time Jets surfaced at the end of the runway. The platform rotated and lined the red-trimmed jet into position.

The Providus zord swung its massive fist towards the Time Jet. The fist smashed against the Time Jet and throttled the vessel forward. The Time Jet accelerated closer to the Time Gate, and disappeared through the gate, leaving a trail of energy vapor in its wake.

One-by-one, Providus slammed the Time Jets through the Gate. The five zords flew in tight formation and throttled backward through the time stream.

Time Shadow lined up next.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 2006AD**_

A wormhole opened in the sky and the five zords streaked through, swooping down into the atmosphere.

The other four rangers ran at Time Red's side as they activated their morphers.

"Chrono Trigger!" the four shouted as columns of data energy circled around them and they morphed into their Ranger forms.

"Time Flier," Time Red commanded as the Time Flier hovered past their location.

The Time Rangers leapt onto the Flier. The Flier carried them over their five Time Jets, traveling at frightful speeds. Time Red and the others jumped off the Time Flier and fell into their cockpits.

"3-D Formation…" Time Red commanded as he grasped control levers to his side. "Time Robo, Alpha!"

The Time Jets stayed in tight formation and flew across the streets as they streets, Each zord started to reassemble and combine into a giant, red-armored zord. The 3-D formation completed as the Rangers activated their zord: the Time-Force Megazord, Mode Red.

A shadow started to cover the sun like an eclipse. The shadow darkened the streets below. Rangers and villains looked up, not sure what was happening. Then the eclipse revealed itself to be a time portal. A V-shaped ship blasted through the portal.

The zord climbed upward and twisted while in mid-flight. Time Shadow started to change shape and form a warrior mode. The black zord armed two double-edged blue blades, and its eyes pulsed with pale-blue energy.

"Delta Formation," Time Red said as he tightened his grasp on the control lancer in front of him. "Shadow Alpha!"

The Time-Force Megazord and Time Shadow shot upwards into the air. Time Shadow shifted its formation, forming a suit of armor that wrapped around the Megazord.

"Shadow-Force Megazord!" Time Red shouted once the transformation was complete. "Mode Red!"

Master Hunter growled with frustration below. The villain ripped off his cryogenic patch, causing a chain reaction in his DNA that made him grow giant.

V-Rex ignored the criminal and charged towards its first obstacle, the Shadow-Force Megazord. The zord roared as if infuriated.

"Energy net," Time Red commanded. "Launch!"

The Megazord's shoulder cannons launched jade-tinted energy nets that wrapped around V-Rex and held the zord still despite its snapping protests.

Master Hunter extended the tip of staff hammer and fired an energy blast that broke V-Rex loose. The zord continued its rampage towards the Megazord. V-Rex bit down hard on the zord's sword arm.

Time Fire ran to a nearby rooftop. He looked up as the V-Rex bit down on the Shadow-Force Megazord nearby. The V-Rex was digging its massive teeth through the Megazord's armor with bursts of spark.

"V-Rex!" the Quantum Ranger shouted. "Listen to me!"

The computer on Time Fire's brace spoke. "V-Rex check…V-Rex check…voice input system online."

Time Fire looked at his brace as he raised it closer to his mouthpiece. "V-Rex! Stop!"

The zord kept fighting, biting against the Megazord and twisting around, its tail smashing through buildings.

Time Fire's morpher signaled again. "Error. The reception system is disturbed."

Time Fire rolled his hands into fists with frustration. He drew his sidearm and aimed at the V-Rex. "V-Rex! Listen to me and stop!"

The Quantum Ranger fired lances of red energy that sparked against the zord's thick-hide armor. V-Rex roared as if annoyed by the attack.

V-Rex tossed the Megazord aside and turned towards the building Time Fire was on. The zord charged forward towards its newest obstacle.

Time Fire took a step back as the massive zord ran towards him.

"Eric!" Time Red shouted from the Megazord. "Run!"

The Quantum Ranger braced himself as the V-Rex came even closer, its wide jaw open.

Data suddenly flashed across Time Fire's helmet. His sensors located the foreign device on the zord's head. The device was interfering with Time Fire's control of the zord.

Time Fire quickly shifted his aim and fired lances of red energy that exploded through the device, blasting it off the zord. But V-Rex continued his advance, only a dozen meters from the Quantum Ranger.

Time Fire braced himself and leaned back as he shouted into his morpher. "V-Rex stop!"

The zord stopped in its tracks, its head several feet away from Time Fire. The Quantum ranger breathed a sigh of relief.

Time Fire's brace toned. "Voice control active."

Time Fire smiled beneath his helmet. He stood boldly and lifted his brace to his faceplate. "V-Rex, online!"

The zord lifted its head and roared as energy flashed across its body, its battle systems charging to full power.

The Rangers watched from the Megazord cockpit. Time Green opened his eyes wide beneath his helmet. "He did it…Eric has the V-Rex…"

Time Fire looked to the giant criminal in the distance and shouted orders into his brace. "Charge! V-Rex!"

V-Rex stomped forward towards the criminals as it roared, as if angry and hungry for revenge against the criminal that had tried to tame it.

"Shoulder cannons!" Time Fire shouted. "Open fire!"

V-Rex fired lances of red energy that exploded against the criminal with massive bursts of sparks.

Time Fire's brace toned. "Voice formation: 'V-Rex Robo.'"

Quantum Ranger looked to his zord. "Voice formation…V-Rex Robo!"

V-Rex shifted shape as it rose up, assuming a humanoid warrior form. The zord had a massive right fist and a revolving missile cannon in place of its left fist. The Megazord still had its tail, and green emitter disks were mounted on the zord's shoulders.

"V-Revolver fire!" Time Fire shouted.

V-Rex's left cannon spun while shooting a volley of red missiles. The missiles exploded against the criminal's armor with massive bursts of smoke and flame, forcing the villain back a few steps.

"V-Rex Knuckle!" Time Fire shouted. "Engage!"

The V-Rex fist energized and shot forward. The fist exploded against the criminal's chest, smashing massive cracks and dents across the villain's armor.

Time Fire's brace toned again. "MAX-Freeze Laser: MAX Blizzard. Standby…"

Time Fire looked to his zord. "MAX Blizzard!"

V-Rex's shoulder cannons fired streams of jade-tinted energy that exploded against the criminal with a massive display of power. The blast caused a chain reaction that caused the villain to shrink and enter a state of suspended animation.

Time Fire smiled beneath his helmet. He leapt onto the head of V-Rex and stood proudly as the zord roared, looking down at the Shadow-Force Megazord.

"Eric…" Time Red said quietly, pity in his voice. "Do you have the power you always wanted…?"

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 3006AD**_

Alex, the real Alex, sat behind the holographic control board of the Providus observation deck. He was alone and had the lights dimmed down. Yet he still wore sunglasses, which in the 31st century were just a pair of black lenses that fit over the eyes. Alex, who looked identical to Wes except for his slicked back hair, wore a suit of white that looked like plastic, but had the flexibility of fabric and the strength of steel.

A holographic projector screen showed Time Fire strike a victory pose on top of the V-Rex in 2006AD.

Alex turned the projector off and sat back in his chair. "Everything is going as planned…" he said quietly to himself.

* * *

Eric stood at attention in front of Mr. Collin's desk. A smug grin was on the Guardian's face. "The V-Rex is mine, sir. You saw it for yourself."

Collins nodded, still upset that he failed to bring the four Time Rangers under his control. He would have to settle for making Eric captain. Collins handed Eric the red beret cap. "Very well…the Silver Guardians are yours to command."

**To be continued…**


	13. Yellow Crush

**Yellow Crush**

The rangers had their office TV tuned into the news. Practically every local cable station was broadcasting a press conference at one of Mr. Collins' office buildings. Collins and Eric stood center stage at the conference.

News of Time Fire and the V-Rex had quickly spread across the world. Time Fire was mankind's first public Ranger with legitimate government-granted authority. A group of a dozen Silver Guardian soldiers stood behind Collins and Eric on the stage. Four of those soldiers wore neatly-polished SWAT armor.

SWAT armor resembled high-tech versions of standard SWAT armor worn by police. They wore a black-padded vest over their chest. A plate of black armor covered each side of their chest. Similar armor plating wrapped around their forearms, ankles and thighs. A pair of high-tech blasters were strapped on the outside of each leg.

Their utility belts were equipped with extra ammo clips and miniature stun bombs and grenades. High-powered rifles were strapped across their backs. Black helmets covered their heads, along with black visors. The helmets had targeting scanners attached to their sides.

Sion shook his head, not paying much attention what was said. "This could be a problem…31st century technology has fallen into their hands…"

"Better them than the Londaraz Family," Lucas said.

"Still," Wes said. "I know my father. He's going to try to exploit that morpher for everything its worth."

Sion opened his eyes wide when he recognized a photographer snapping pictures of Collins and Eric. "Hey Damien! It's Emily!"

Emily was the news photographer who had a large crush on Time Yellow. They had met during the Rangers' first week in the 21st century.

Damien had a slight look of longing on his face when he saw her on the television.

* * *

Emily was among the reporters and photographers that swarmed around Collins and Eric outside when the news conference was over.

"Mr. Collins, what is your relationship to the Time Rangers?"

"Do you know their secret identities?"

"How did you acquire the V-Rex and Quantum Morpher?"

Collins ignored the reporters as he and Eric climbed into the backseat of a limousine parked at the curb. The limo slowly pulled away.

Emily lowered her camera as the crowd of reporters and photographers dispersed. She sighed and reached into her pocket, pulling out her small red wallet. She had a picture of Time Yellow inside the wallet. A picture of Lucas was next to it.

Emily did not realize that Damien, not Lucas, was Time Yellow.

* * *

Collins turned on his cell as soon as he got into the limo. "We're on our way in…yes…I want the tests ready as soon as we get there. I want every Silver Guardian in a Quantum Ranger suit by the end of the year. We have to develop this technology."

* * *

_A thirteen year old boy cried while in the fetal position. He was surrounded by pitch-black darkness and wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. Faint, pale light shined down on his smooth, auburn skin. _

"_Help…" he whimpered. "Help me…"_

_A creature appeared behind the boy. The villain had a small brown, leathery face that appeared like a cross between a lizard and insect. The being had no neck. Instead, a massive headpiece wrapped from his collar bones and around his shoulders. The gray, metallic headpiece was shaped like a clam. The rest of his body was covered in white cloth._

_The scarcely-clad boy lifted his head when he heard the creature approach. He hugged the creature and cried. "Help…please help me, sir…"_

_The creature patted its leathery hands on the boy's back. "It's alright…you're safe here…"_

_The criminal raised his hand. The dark landscape changed to a field of grass and a clear blue sky. The boy smiled as the warmth washed over him. _

The criminal, in his human disguise, removed his virtual reality goggles. The boy did the same. They were within a doctor's office downtown, where the criminal was a licensed psychiatrist, specializing in cutting-edge treatments for depression and anxiety.

The criminal reached out and patted the boy on the shoulder. The 13-year-old remembered nothing except the happiness at the end of his experience.

The boy's parents would pay him handsomely. Then his condition would worsen again soon. The parents would bring him back. It was a wonderful, profitable cycle that worked so well with so many parents and their children.

* * *

Sion's eyes opened wide when an e-mail message popped onto his desktop. It was from Emily. He looked over his shoulder to where Damien was standing at his locker. "Damien…you have an e-mail…from Emily!"

Wes smiled from the couch and dashed towards the computer. Damien quickly pushed Wes out of the way and moved to the computer monitor, spinning Sion's chair out of the way too.

Damien read Emily's e-mail, addressed to Time Yellow. She wanted to meet him. She gave a time and a place.

* * *

A day passed.

The criminal took a pair of VR goggles off of his latest subject. The man sighed with relief, a large smile on his face. "That was wonderful doc…"

"I do try my best," the doctor said as he extended his hand and helped the man to his feet.

The man pulled out his wallet and opened it. It was empty. The man's face turned slightly red with embarrassment. "Ummm…is there anyway you could send me a bill? Unless you take credit?"

The criminal narrowed his eyes. "Credit is unacceptable…"

* * *

The criminal, Zeku'tar, took the man and threw him into a small room with a group of several others, including a few teenage boys and the 13-year-old from the day before. Some of them cried, others wrote on the wall, and the boy opened his eyes wide with fear at the sight of the doctor.

"Stay here with them," Zeku'tar said to the man. "You'll fit right in soon enough…"

The boy's fear slowly turned into absent-minded laughter.

* * *

Damien was doing push ups in the office. His thoughts were fixed on Emily and his upcoming meeting with her. He could not think of anything else, no matter how hard he tried.

A knock sounded on the office door. Lucas opened the door, and a frantic woman walked inside. Jenn walked over to the woman. "Can we help you?"

"My son…" the woman said frantically. "I think he's in trouble. I called the police…but they wouldn't listen…"

"What happened?" Jenn asked.

"He went to the therapist after school today…but he never came home…"

The rangers got more details about the therapy sessions from the woman before she left. The technology she described could have only come from the future, Jenn determined. She told Takku to search the criminal database for a match.

A picture of the criminal flashed onto the computer monitor as Takku spoke. "Prisoner number AG-19M. Zeku'tar. Arrested on 79 counts of mind altering Class-D."

Lucas looked to Jenn. "We should check it out.

"Agreed," Jenn said. "Now here's the plan…"

Damien's mind trailed. He was supposed to meet Emily soon, at 4 p.m.

* * *

Wes and Damien sat in a car in front of the doctor's tall office building downtown. The other rangers were positioned close by.

Wes sat behind the car wheel, and Damien was in the back. Damien wore a neatly-ironed suit and carried a briefcase. He sighed and looked at his watch. It was five minutes until 4 p.m., when he was supposed to meet Emily. He obviously wasn't going to make it.

Wes noticed in his rearview mirror. "You promised 4, right?"

"Emily?" Damien asked.

Wes smiled. "That's the time of the appointment we made…"

Damien's face turned red. "Oh…right…"

Wes flashed Damien a quizzical expression. "Were you planning on meeting her?"

Damien shrugged, keeping his gaze low. "I was thinking about it."

Wes gave his friend a sympathetic look. "I know how you feel," Wes said. "You don't know when you'll have to go back to your time…"

Damien smiled slightly and opened his door. It was time for his appointment with the criminal. He glanced back at Wes. "Jenn will have to go back too…"

"Huh," Wes stammered, his face turning slightly red.

Damien patted Wes on the shoulder and left the car. Wes looked towards his friend. "Hey Damien…be careful, okay?"

Damien smiled and nodded. "Always."

* * *

Emily sat alone at the plaza where the sniper had almost gunned her down. It was an odd choice, but one of the few places she had seen Time Yellow. She wanted to pick a familiar location.

She checked her watch. Time Yellow was two minutes late. Emily sighed, wondering if he was going to show.

* * *

Damien sat in the doctor's office.

The criminal took a seat next to Damien and started taking notes on his clipboard. "Okay…you must be Damien…"

"That's me," Damien said.

The doctor nodded. "And you've been having trouble at work because of stress?"

Damien nodded.

"What is your date of birth?" the doctor asked.

"Dec. 28, 297-" Damien stopped. "I mean, 1981..."

The doctor asked a few more questions. A hidden clip in Damien's tie transmitted every word to Sion and the others, who were pretending to work elsewhere in the building.

After taking all his notes, the doctor placed a headset and visor on Damien, and put one on himself. Damien peeked to make sure the doctor was not looking before putting a device Sion had made on his own headset.

The doctor activated the system.

* * *

The other rangers dropped what they were doing as soon as they got the signal that Damien had entered the trance. The four rangers regrouped on the building's fourth floor and activated their armor.

Takku relayed information to the Rangers' visors to help them track down Damien's signal.

* * *

_Damien was surrounded by white emptiness. He was still dressed in his suit. The criminal appeared in his natural form behind Damien and laughed, a bellowing sound that came deep from the pit of the being's stomach. _

_Damien snapped around and assumed a morphing stance, but his brace was gone. _

"_Time Ranger…" the villain mocked. "You can not morph here…This is the place of your heart…a blank canvas for you to see what you wish and dream…"_

_The scene changed to pitch black as Damien appeared in a suit of lightweight sparring armor, the same armor he wore as a pro fighter in his own time. _

_The criminal tilted his head as he stared at Damien. "So this is your line of work."_

"_Get out of my head!" Damien shouted as he lunged forward with a punch. _

_But Zeku'tar disappeared in the blink of an eye and reappeared behind Damien. Damien turned and swung a hook punch at the villain. Zeku'tar blocked the blow and pushed Damien backward. Damien toppled over and crashed onto his back. _

_Damien slowly rose to his feet as mocking laughter surrounded him. The laughter was from a large crowd of spectators. The laughter was like a dagger driving into his mind. _

_Damien saw Emily standing alone among the crowd. _

"_Emily!" Damien called out. His clothing returned to the jersey and hat he typically wore in the 21st century. _

_The rest of the crowd vanished except for Emily. The scene returned to pitch black. _

_Zeku'tar armed a double-edged blade and held the weapon to Emily's neck while forcing Damien to watch. _

"_Don't…" Damien said. "Stop!"_

_The scene shifted in the blink of an eye. Then Damien was holding the blade to Emily's neck. "What the-" _

_Damien tried to pull the blade away, but could not. The criminal was going to force Damien to cut Emily down. _

"_No!" Damien screamed in protest. "Stop it!"_

_The blade slashed downward through Emily. Her limp form collapsed to the ground. Damien leaned onto his knees and looked at his own hands with horror. He screamed at the top of his lungs._

* * *

The other four Rangers heard Damien's scream from down a hall. They darted into what appeared like an empty room nearby. The room led to a different hall, which led to Damien.

But a group of junk droids appeared and blocked the Rangers' path.

Time Red spun past a junk droid while slamming a knifehand chop against the back of the droid's neck. The Red Ranger pushed forward, slamming a sidekick against a second grunt's chest.

* * *

_Zeku'tar laughed mockingly at Damien and placed a hand on the ranger's shoulder. "Poor Damien…always hurting the people you care about, aren't you?"_

_Damien rolled his hands into fists and narrowed his eyes. Emily's body suddenly disappeared. Damien thought of her, knowing she was alive and well. He rose to his feet as the scene shifted to pure white._

_The device he had placed on his goggles had let him take control of the simulation._

_Damien narrowed his eyes at the villain. "I think this session is over."_

_Damien slammed a cross punch against the criminal, knocking him backward. _

* * *

Damien removed his goggles. He looked down to see the doctor sprawled on the floor. The criminal slowly climbed to his feet while removing his own goggles. The villain's body flashed as he dropped his disguise and returned to his normal, monstrous form.

The other Rangers burst into the room.

"Damien!" Time Red shouted. "You okay?"

"Just fine," Damien said as he put on his brace.

"Chrono Trigger!" he shouted as he slapped his morpher's activation panel. Strands of data energy circled around him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

"Time Rangers!" they shouted while thrusting their badges forward.

Time Yellow stepped forward while holding his badge. "Zeku'tar! You're under arrest for breaking the Temporal Accords. It's time for judgment!"

Zeku'tar quickly tore off his cryogenic patch. The tear created a chain reaction that caused the criminal to expand and grow giant, crashing through the roof in the process.

The Rangers jumped to the streets below.

"Takku!" Time Yellow called into his brace.

"Yokai," Takku answered. The droid activated his temporal transceiver. "3-D system, stand by for launch!"

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 3006AD**_

In the north section of the city sat a circular command complex with several rectangular buildings webbing out from the main compound. A yellow and black giant-sized robo stomped around the perimeter of the compound near a tall gate shaped like an upside down 'V.' A runway connected the gate to the complex.

A platform of five Time Jets surfaced at the end of the runway. The platform rotated and lined the red-trimmed jet into position.

The Providus zord swung its massive fist towards the Time Jet. The fist smashed against the Time Jet and throttled the vessel forward. The Time Jet accelerated closer to the Time Gate, and disappeared through the gate, leaving a trail of energy vapor in its wake.

One-by-one, Providus slammed the Time Jets through the Gate. The five zords flew in tight formation and throttled backward through the time stream.

Time Shadow lined up next.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 2006AD**_

A wormhole opened in the sky and the five zords streaked through, swooping down into the atmosphere.

"Time Flier," Time yellow commanded as the Time Flier hovered past their location.

The Time Rangers leapt onto the Flier. The Flier carried them over their five Time Jets, traveling at frightful speeds. Time Yellow and the others jumped off the Time Flier and fell into their cockpits.

"3-D Formation…" Time Red commanded as he grasped control levers to his side. "Time Robo, Beta!"

The Time Jets stayed in tight formation and flew across the streets as they streets, Each zord started to reassemble and combine into a giant, blue-armored zord. The 3-D formation completed as the Rangers activated their zord: the Time-Force Megazord, Mode Blue.

A shadow started to cover the sun like an eclipse. The shadow darkened the streets below. Rangers and villains looked up, not sure what was happening. Then the eclipse revealed itself to be a time portal. Time Shadow blasted through the portal.

Time Shadow climbed upward and twisted while in mid-flight. Time Shadow started to change shape and form a warrior mode. The black zord armed two double-edged blue blades, and its eyes pulsed with pale-blue energy.

"Delta Formation," Time Yellow said as he tightened his grasp on the control lancer in front of him. "Shadow Beta!"

The Time-Force Megazord and Time Shadow shot upwards into the air. Time Shadow shifted its formation, forming a suit of armor that wrapped around the Megazord.

"Shadow-Force Megazord!" Time Yellow shouted once the transformation was complete. "Mode Blue!"

The Megazord armed a rifle-like cannon, edged with Time Shadow's vector blades.

* * *

Eric was standing in front of Mr. Collins' desk when one of the businessman's aides walked into the room. The aide carried a small file folder in his hand.

"Sir," the aide said. "The Time Rangers' Megazord is battling a Meta-level criminal in sector AN-36."

Collins looked to Eric. "This is your chance."

A smug grin crossed Eric's face as he nodded.

* * *

Shadow Beta fired a jade-tinted pulse blast that shot towards the criminal like a ball of flame. The flame splashed harmlessly across Zeku'tar as the villain laughed.

"That's never happened before…" Time Red said as he tightened his grip on his lancer.

The criminal pounced forward and armed his sword. Zeku'tar slashed his blade across Shadow Beta's armor, the weapon sparking on impact with each strike, forcing the Megazord backward.

A black SUV skid to a stop on the streets below. Eric stepped out of the vehicle and looked up to see the giant criminal thrash against the Megazord.

Eric tossed his hat off in a display of arrogance, throwing it into the air as he armed his morpher. "Quantum Fire!"

Fiery energy circled around him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

Time Fire looked towards the distance and raised his morpher closer to his mouth piece. "Charge! V-Rex!"

Back above, Zeku'tar had forced the Megazord to the ground. The villain chopped his blade down repeatedly against the fallen zord, each strike sparking violently on impact.

V-Rex roared as it charged onto the scene. The zord spun forward, whipping its tail across the criminal. The tail smashed against the villain with a burst of spark, forcing him backward.

V-Rex bit down hard on the villain's zord arm, driving its teeth through the criminal's leathery flesh. V-Rex used its bite grip to throw the villain through the air. The criminal slammed against the streets and skid backward.

Below, the Quantum Ranger looked to his zord. "Voice formation…V-Rex Robo!"

V-Rex shifted shape as it rose up, assuming a humanoid warrior form. The zord had a massive right fist and a revolving missile cannon in place of its left fist. The Megazord still had its tail, and green emitter disks were mounted on the zord's shoulders.

"V-Rex Knuckle!" Time Fire shouted. "Engage!"

The V-Rex fist energized and shot forward. The fist exploded against the criminal's chest, smashing massive cracks and dents across the villain's armor.

Shadow Beta moved in to attack, but V-Rex smashed the back its fist against the Megazord to keep it back.

"Nice try," Time Fire said from below. "But this is my fight. V-Rex! MAX Blizzard!"

V-Rex's shoulder cannons fired streams of jade-tinted energy that exploded against the criminal with a massive display of power. The blast caused a chain reaction that caused the villain to shrink and enter a state of suspended animation.

* * *

Eric was stepping back into his SUV when the ranger ran towards him.

"Eric!" Wes shouted. "What was that all about?"

Eric grinned at the rangers. "You guys are just going to have to stay out of my way."

Eric stepped into his vehicle and drove off.

* * *

Emily had waited for almost two hours. She leaned on her own hand at the plaza. The wallet with Time Yellow's picture was in her left hand. She sighed, finally deciding to give up.

Emily swung her bag over her shoulder, accidentally bumping into a passerby. She didn't notice when her red wallet fell to the ground.

"Sorry about that," she said with a smile as she walked off.

Damien was nearby and just missed Emily. He walked over to the main patio area and looked around. He sighed. "I shouldn't have expected her to wait…"

Damien noticed the red wallet on the ground. He picked it up and opened it. Inside was a picture of Time Yellow next to a picture of…Lucas?!

Damien laughed at the irony, his laughter hiding his own pain at the realization. He sat on a bench and leaned his head down, his shoulders sinking.

**To be continued…**


	14. Tomorrow isn't Coming

**Tomorrow isn't Coming**

The 3rd TOTAL R & D Lab staff was solely dedicated to poking and prodding at the Quantum Fire powers until they understood exactly how the morpher worked and how to replicate it.

Time Fire went through several tests in one of the lab rooms. The Quantum Ranger was slid into a small scanning chamber as technicians took scans of his spine and brain.

Later, Eric's armor was powered down and his shirt stripped. Scientists placed probes on his chest and body before sliding him back into the scanning chamber.

Technicians placed a high-tech clamp onto around the end of Eric's morpher after the scans were complete.

Eric sat up on the bio bed as a scientist pulled the probes off his chest.

"I finished setting your D-Sensor," the scientist said, referring to the device now attached to Eric's morpher.

Eric said nothing. He stood up from the bed and started getting dressed in his black slacks and black T-shirt.

"How do you feel?" the scientist asked. "Are you experiencing any side effects?"

"I feel annoyed," Eric said. "Like a guinea pig. These experiments have been going on for days."

The scientist smiled. "All you soldiers do is complain. That D-Sensor should give us all the data we need next time you morph into Time Fire. Then these experiments can stop. All we need…is that V-Commander's technology."

* * *

In full uniform, Eric walked to the lobby desk of the lab. The secretary looked to Eric when he walked by. "Sir? There's someone here to see you."

Annoyed, Eric took a deep breath. "Where?"

The secretary nodded towards the front doors. "Just inside the front lobby."

Eric looked towards the lobby and glared with annoyance at who he saw. It was Wes.

"Collins…" Wes said as he stalked towards Wes. "I thought I told you never to-"

"Just wait a second," Wes said as he held his hands up defensively. "It's not what you think. Just…come with me for a few minutes. Please…"

Confused but curious, Eric followed.

* * *

Wes led Eric into a hospital nearby. He took Eric by the arm and led him into a hospital room. A 9-year-old patient was sitting up in the hospital bed.

Eric stood in the doorway with his arms crossed, trying to maintain his cold exterior to hide his discomfort.

The boy's face lit up as Wes walked in. "Hey Wes! Did you bring Time Fire?"

Wes smiled and tossled the boy's hair. "I have a feeling he'll show up soon."

Wes picked up a large notebook and showed it to Eric. The notebook had a crayon drawing of the Quantum Ranger. "What do you think?"

"What is this about?" Eric asked.

Wes led Eric back into the hallway. "His name is Reese. I met him a couple days ago…We were hired to clean around the hospital and do some other work. We bumped into Reese when his mother admitted him. He has a heart problem…he's getting surgery tomorrow. He's scared.

"We noticed pictures he had drawn of Time Fire," Wes continued. "Apparently, he's a fan…although I'm not sure why."

Eric shook his head. "Why don't you guys show up as Time Rangers?"

"We tried that," Wes said. "But he wants Time Fire. Please…just morph and go see him. And be nice to him."

Eric rubbed the back of his neck and turned to walk away. "I don't have time for this…"

The hospital alarms suddenly started to go off. Wes and Eric ran over to a nurse sitting behind a desk.

"What's wrong?" Wes asked the nurse.

"Nothing," the nurse said. "Please…just have a seat and stay calm."

Eric pushed Wes aside and stepped closer to the nurse. "Nurse, what's going on."

She was startled when she recognized his uniform. "Our computer server has some kind of virus…"

A doctor frantically walked towards the nurse. "Nurse! I can't get inside my own operating room. There's a man in there who's about to die!"

The computer monitor in front of the nurse flickered as a video image appeared. It was a criminal with pale-gray skin. Patches of green/blue muscle tissue protruded at various places across the villain's body.

Only a clear glass-like shell covered the villain's green/blue and pale-gray brain. A pair of black lenses covered his eyes.

"Greetings," the being said. "I'm the one making the computers go crazy. Unless I get $10 million, I'm afraid quite a few people in that hospital of yours is going to die."

Wes moved to the side of the hospital's hallway. "Takku…"

"Wes!" Takku said over the communicator. "Yuugento has control of every hospital in the city, not just the one you are in!"

* * *

Wes and Eric sprinted to a run-down pier near a large lake that bled out into the ocean. The pier had several wooden boat houses and dock houses in poor repair. Takku had tracked the criminal to this location.

Eric looked at the pier with a quizzical expression on his face. "The Londaraz would be at this place?"

They heard what sounded like the whine of a computer processor come from a shed nearby. They entered the shed to see an old man sitting by a desktop computer.

"Can I help you?" the man asked when he saw Wes and Eric.

Wes and Eric senses trouble and subtlety prepared their morphers.

"We're sorry," Wes said. "We didn't think anyone was in here."

"Hm," the man said as he nodded. "I guess you were wrong."

The man dropped his holographic disguise and revealed himself to be Yuugento. The criminal extended a wand and fired a turquoise-colored energy beam that speared towards the two rangers.

They quickly morphed into their armor as the blast exploded against them with bursts of spark. The blast sent the two Rangers splintering through the wall and rolling across the wooden deck outside.

Yuugento stepped through the hole in the wall and onto the dock, slowly stalking towards the two red-armored Rangers.

Time Red and Time Fire rose to their feet and turned to face the villain.

"DV-Defender!" Time Fire shouted as he drew his sidearm.

"Double Vector!" Time Red shouted as he armed his double-blade saber.

The two Rangers triggered their weapons. A blade of crimson energy and lances of red energy shot forward. The villain quickly scanned the Rangers' weapons and adapted. The blasts moved harmlessly through the creature's body and exploded against the shelter house, shattering wood with violent explosions of flame and smoke.

The villain laughed mockingly at the Rangers. "My sensors can adapt to your every weapon…"

The villain extended his hand and snapped out a pair of gray tendrils. The tendrils wrapped tightly across the Rangers' necks. The criminal sent a continuous charge of electric, turquoise-tinted energy along the tendril. The electric pulses danced across the Rangers armor with a volley of explosions, sparks thrashing across their bodies and helmets relentlessly.

One of the blasts pierced the scanner on Time Fire's morpher, causing a strange energy pulse to cover the Quantum Ranger's body.

The villain released his grasp. Time Red and Time Fire collapsed onto the deck, smoke still rising from their armor.

Time Green and Time Yellow suddenly ran onto the scene with their Vol weapons. They fired yellow and green energy pulse blasts that the criminal easily swatted aside with his wand.

The criminal turned and fired a lance of turquoise energy that exploded against the two Rangers' armor with bursts of spark.

Time Blue and Time Pink leapt onto the scene and swung their weapons down towards the criminal. Yuugento parried the blow and kicked the two Rangers aside.

Time Red darted towards the creature and snapped a spinning crescent kick that the villain ducked under. Time Red continued the spin and swung the back of his fist towards the criminal's head.

Yuugento blocked the blow and thrashed his wand across the Ranger's chest, the weapon sparking on impact. The villain speared his weapon against the Red Ranger's chest, sending him crashing backward through the deck and into the water below.

Yuugento turned and aimed his wand towards Time Fire. The villain fired.

Time Fire watched helplessly as the energy burst streaked towards his visor…

* * *

Eric's armor was powered down and his shirt stripped. Scientists placed probes on his chest and body before sliding him back into the scanning chamber.

Technicians placed a high-tech clamp onto around the end of Eric's morpher after the scans were complete.

Eric sat up on the bio bed as a scientist pulled the probes off his chest.

"I finished setting your D-Sensor," the scientist said, referring to the device now attached to Eric's morpher.

Eric said nothing. He stood up from the bed and started getting dressed in his black slacks and black T-shirt.

"How do you feel?" the scientist asked. "Are you experiencing any side effects?"

"I feel annoyed," Eric said. "Like a guinea pig. These experiments have been going on for days."

The scientist smiled. "All you soldiers do is complain. That D-Sensor should give us all the data we need next time you morph into Time Fire. Then these experiments can stop. All we need…is that V-Commander's technology."

Eric narrowed his brow. Déjà vu…

The scientist tilted his head at Eric's puzzlement. "Is something the matter.

Eric shook his head. "Just tired."

* * *

In full uniform, Eric walked to the lobby desk of the lab. The secretary looked to Eric when he walked by. "Sir? There's someone here to see you."

Annoyed, Eric took a deep breath. "Where?"

The secretary nodded towards the front doors. "Just inside the front lobby."

Eric looked towards the lobby and glared with annoyance at who he saw. It was Wes.

"Collins…" Wes said as he stalked towards Wes. "I thought I told you never to-"

"Just wait a second," Wes said as he held his hands up defensively. "It's not what you think. Just…come with me for a few minutes. Please…"

Eric could not shake the feeling of Déjà vu…

* * *

Wes led Eric into a hospital nearby. He took Eric by the arm and led him into a hospital room. A 9-year-old patient was sitting up in the hospital bed.

The boy's face lit up as Wes walked in. "Hey Wes! Did you bring Time Fire?"

Wes smiled and tossled the boy's hair. "I have a feeling he'll show up soon."

Eric narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "Reese…I was just here."

Wes raised his eyebrows. "Huh?"

Eric stepped out into the hall as Wes followed.

"Eric wait, let me explain…" Wes said. "I met Reese a couple days ago…We were hired to clean around the hospital and do some other work. We bumped into Reese when his mother admitted him. He has a heart problem…he's getting surgery tomorrow. He's scared…"

Eric placed his hand on his forehead, feelings of Déjà vu overwhelming him. "I remember this…the alarm is about to go off…"

The hospital alarms suddenly started to go off. Wes and Eric ran over to a nurse sitting behind a desk.

"What's wrong?" Wes asked the nurse.

"Nothing," the nurse said. "Please…just have a seat and stay calm."

"The Londaraz," Eric said. "They've hacked into the hospital's computer…"

Eric sprinted towards the hospital exit as Wes followed. "Eric wait!"

* * *

Wes and Eric sprinted to a run-down pier near a large lake that bled out into the ocean. The pier had several wooden boat houses and dock houses in poor repair. Eric led Wes into the boathouse where the villain was waiting.

"You!" Eric shouted when he saw the old man.

The man dropped his holographic disguise and revealed himself to be Yuugento. The criminal extended a wand and fired a turquoise-colored energy beam that speared towards the two rangers.

They quickly morphed into their armor as the blast exploded against them with bursts of spark. The blast sent the two Rangers splintering through the wall and rolling across the wooden deck outside.

Yuugento stepped through the hole in the wall and onto the dock, slowly stalking towards the two red-armored Rangers.

Time Red and Time Fire rose to their feet and turned to face the villain.

"DV-Defender!" Time Fire shouted as he drew his sidearm.

"Double Vector!" Time Red shouted as he armed his double-blade saber.

The two Rangers triggered their weapons. A blade of crimson energy and lances of red energy shot forward. The villain quickly scanned the Rangers' weapons and adapted. The blasts moved harmlessly through the creature's body and exploded against the shelter house, shattering wood with violent explosions of flame and smoke.

The villain laughed mockingly at the Rangers. "My sensors can adapt to your every weapon…"

The villain extended his hand and snapped out a pair of gray tendrils. The tendrils wrapped tightly across the Rangers' necks. The criminal sent a continuous charge of electric, turquoise-tinted energy along the tendril. The electric pulses danced across the Rangers armor with a volley of explosions, sparks thrashing across their bodies and helmets relentlessly.

One of the blasts pierced the scanner on Time Fire's morpher, causing a strange energy pulse to cover the Quantum Ranger's body.

The villain released his grasp. Time Red and Time Fire collapsed onto the deck, smoke still rising from their armor.

Time Fire rolled his hands into fists. "It's happening again….exactly like before…"

Time Green and Time Yellow suddenly ran onto the scene with their Vol weapons. They fired yellow and green energy pulse blasts that the criminal easily swatted aside with his wand.

The criminal turned and fired a lance of turquoise energy that exploded against the two Rangers' armor with bursts of spark.

Time Blue and Time Pink leapt onto the scene and swung their weapons down towards the criminal. Yuugento parried the blow and kicked the two Rangers aside.

Time Red darted towards the creature and snapped a spinning crescent kick that the villain ducked under. Time Red continued the spin and swung the back of his fist towards the criminal's head.

Yuugento blocked the blow and thrashed his wand across the Ranger's chest, the weapon sparking on impact. The villain speared his weapon against the Red Ranger's chest, sending him crashing backward through the deck and into the water below.

Yuugento turned and aimed his wand towards Time Fire. The villain fired.

Time Fire watched helplessly as the energy burst streaked towards his visor…

* * *

Eric sat up on the bio bed as a scientist pulled the probes off his chest.

"I finished setting your D-Sensor," the scientist said, referring to the device now attached to Eric's morpher.

Eric said nothing. He stood up from the bed and started getting dressed in his black slacks and black T-shirt.

"How do you feel?" the scientist asked. "Are you experiencing any-"

"What the hell is going on?" Eric asked.

The scientist narrowed his eyes with concern. "What do you mean…"

"It's happening again…" Eric said as he bolted out of the room. "How long has this been going on…a day…a week…"

* * *

Eric bolted into the lobby, where Wes was waiting for him. But Eric kept walking.

"Just wait a second," Wes said as he followed Eric outside. "It's not what you think. Just…come with me for a few minutes. Please…"

"To visit Reese, right?" Eric said as he walked faster.

Wes narrowed his eyes. "How did you know?"

Eric turned and grabbed Wes by the collar. "Because I know!" Eric tossed Wes aside. "Now don't follow me…"

Eric ran towards the docks.

* * *

Wes and Eric sprinted to a run-down pier near a large lake that bled out into the ocean. The pier had several wooden boat houses and dock houses in poor repair. Takku had tracked the criminal to this location.

"Why…" Eric said as he tensed his fists, questioning his own sanity. "Why do I keep coming here…"

"Eric…" Wes said with a look of concern on his face. "What's wrong…"

Eric dropped down and slammed his fist against the ground. "I don't know…The Londaraz. They're here. I've been fighting them over and over…living the same day over and over…"

Wes raised his eyebrow in disbelief. "Okay…yeah. Why don't you wait here. I'll see if I can find anything strange...and figure out what's going on."

Wes moved towards the shed where the villain was inside.

"Collins don't!" Eric shouted as he watched Wes go in.

Eric breathed heavily, his eyes fixated on the building.

Time Red suddenly splintered through the wall and skid across the dock. The Red Ranger rose to his feet and snapped into a fighting stance next to Eric. Eric breathed heavily, panic threatening to consume him as Yuugento stepped out of the hole and walked towards them.

"Eric," Time Red said. "Come on, morph…"

Eric's eyes stared down blankly. "You can't run away from your life."

"What?" Time Red said. "Eric, now is not the time to go crazy. Morph into Time Fire and fight!"

But Eric could not think clearly enough to do it. "No!" he said as he pushed Time Red away. "I've had enough…"

The villain extended his hand and snapped out a pair of gray tendrils. The tendrils wrapped tightly across the Time Red and Eric's necks. The criminal sent a continuous charge of electric, turquoise-tinted energy along the tendril. The electric pulses danced across the Time Red and Eric with a volley of explosions. Eric's suit only partially protected him as serious burns scorched his skin as bones snapped from the strain.

One of the blasts pierced the scanner on Time Fire's morpher.

The villain released his grasp. Time Red and Eric collapsed onto the deck.

Time Green and Time Yellow suddenly ran onto the scene with their Vol weapons. They fired yellow and green energy pulse blasts that the criminal easily swatted aside with his wand.

The criminal turned and fired a lance of turquoise energy that exploded against the two Rangers' armor with bursts of spark.

Time Blue and Time Pink leapt onto the scene and swung their weapons down towards the criminal. Yuugento parried the blow and kicked the two Rangers aside.

Eric shook his head frantically as he crawled backward across the deck. "We can't beat him. It's fate…we can't change it…"

"Eric," Time Red said. "Come on, pal, snap out of it…"

The villain stalked towards them.

Time Red darted towards the creature and snapped a spinning crescent kick that the villain ducked under. Time Red continued the spin and swung the back of his fist towards the criminal's head.

Yuugento blocked the blow and thrashed his wand across the Ranger's chest, the weapon sparking on impact. The villain speared his weapon against the Red Ranger's chest, sending him crashing backward through the deck and into the water below.

Eric watched in horror as the creature stalked towards him. "This is it…it's going to happen again…"

Eric noticed smoke rising from his morpher. Then he realized it wasn't his morpher, but the sensor attached to the morpher. "Of course…" he said as he tried to pry the sensor off. "It's been this damn thing all along…"

Yuugento aimed his wand towards Eric. The villain fired.

Eric watched helplessly, fear burned in his eyes, as the energy burst streaked towards his face…

And Time Red suddenly leapt in front of the blast, explosions sparking on his chest and whipping his body backward. The Red Ranger crashed against the deck, his armor still wet from the water below.

"Wes…" Eric said in disbelief.

"Eric…" Time Red said, smoke still rising from his armor. "You can change fate…all it takes is one person."

Eric's mind slowly started to clear as he was re-integrated into the time stream. He slowly climbed back to his feet and helped Time Red up. "That's kind of optimistic, Collins…"

"Collins?" Time Red said. "You called me Wes a second ago…"

Eric ripped the sensor from his brace. "Now you're going crazy…"

Time Red smiled beneath his helmet. The Red ranger dashed forward and swung his weapon down towards the villain's head. The criminal parried the blow and thrashed his wand across the Red ranger's armor. Explosions sparked on impact and sent him crashing to the ground.

"Wes!" Eric said as he kneeled down near the Ranger. He looked up and glared at the creature, who was laughing at the top of his lungs.

Eric slowly rose to his feet and armed his morpher. "Quantum Fire!" Fiery energy circled around him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

Time Red slowly rose to his feet and stood besides Time Fire as the other four Rangers regrouped around them. For the first time, all six Rangers stood together.

The villain scoffed. "You are becoming a real pain in my ass!"

The criminal fired an energy lance that exploded around the Rangers with bursts of spark. Time Red and Time Fire ran through the explosions and charged towards their opponent.

The two Rangers pounced forward and tackled the creature to the ground. They rolled back to their feet and turned to face the villain while opening fire with their weapons. But the criminal swatted their crimson energy blasts away and fired an energy burst from his wand, which exploded against the two Rangers with a burst of spark, knocking them off their feet.

The villain laughed mockingly at the Rangers. "My sensors can adapt to your every weapon…"

"Eric," Time Red said. "We have to cover our attacks. Get behind me."

Time Red armed both his Vector Sabers and charged towards the villain, while Time Fire ran behind the Red Ranger. The villain fired energy bursts that exploded against Time Red's armor.

Time Fire suddenly dropped to his chest and opened fire from between Time Red's legs. The villain didn't see the attack coming in time to scan it, so lances of red energy exploded against his chest with bursts of energy, knocking the wand from his hand.

Time Red leapt through the air and energized his sabers.

"Time Strike!" Time Red shouted as he swung both weapons downward through streaks of power. The blades thrashed across the villain with a massive burst of spark.

Time Fire extended his blade. "DV-Defender…final mode." The Quantum Ranger dashed towards the villain, his blade pulsing with blue fire.

"DV Freezer!" Time Fire shouted as he swung his weapon downward in an x-shaped pattern, streaks of energy thrashing through the villain's body.

The criminal stumbled backward as tendrils of blue energy danced across his body like electricity, exploding with bursts of spark. The villain fell backward and exploded as Time Red and Time Fire stood, snapping into victory poses.

The villain's patch was torn, and his DNA reacted by expanding, causing the villain to grow giant.

"Takku!" Time Red shouted into his brace.

"Yokai," Takku answered. The droid activated his temporal transceiver. "3-D system, stand by for launch!"

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 3006AD**_

In the north section of the city sat a circular command complex with several rectangular buildings webbing out from the main compound. A yellow and black giant-sized robo stomped around the perimeter of the compound near a tall gate shaped like an upside down 'V.' A runway connected the gate to the complex.

A lone figure sat in the observatory that looked out upon the runway. He answered Takku's call.

A platform of five Time Jets surfaced at the end of the runway. The platform rotated and lined the red-trimmed jet into position.

The Providus zord swung its massive fist towards the Time Jet. The fist smashed against the Time Jet and throttled the vessel forward. The Time Jet accelerated closer to the Time Gate, and disappeared through the gate, leaving a trail of energy vapor in its wake.

One-by-one, Providus slammed the Time Jets through the Gate. The five zords flew in tight formation and throttled backward through the time stream as the Time Shadow lined up to launch next.

* * *

_**Angel Grove, 2006AD**_

A wormhole opened in the sky and the five zords streaked through, swooping down into the atmosphere.

"Time Flier," Time Red commanded as the Time Flier hovered past their location.

The Time Rangers leapt onto the Flier. The Flier carried them over their five Time Jets, traveling at frightful speeds. Time Red and the others jumped off the Time Flier and fell into their cockpits.

"3-D Formation…" Time Red commanded as he grasped control levers to his side. "Time Robo, Beta!"

The Time Jets stayed in tight formation and flew across the streets. Each zord started to reassemble and combine into a giant, blue-armored zord. The 3-D formation completed as the Rangers activated their zord: the Time-Force Megazord, Mode Blue.

A shadow started to cover the sun like an eclipse. Then the eclipse revealed itself to be a time portal. A V-shaped ship blasted through the portal.

The zord climbed upward and twisted while in mid-flight. Time Shadow started to change shape and form a warrior mode. The black zord armed two double-edged blue blades, and its eyes pulsed with pale-blue energy.

The two zords landed side-by-side and snapped into defensive stances.

The villain's eyes pulsed with power. Its mind sensed that Time Shadow was automated. The criminal took control of the black zord with ease. Time Shadow turned and slashed its blades across the Megazord's chest with a burst of spark.

Below, Time Fire activated his brace. "Charge! V-Rex!"

Quantum Ranger looked to his zord as it stomped onto the city streets from the distance. "Voice formation…V-Rex Robo!"

V-Rex shifted shape as it rose up, assuming a humanoid warrior form. The zord had a massive right fist and a revolving missile cannon in place of its left fist. The Megazord still had its tail, and green emitter disks were mounted on the zord's shoulders.

"Revolver cannon!" Time Fire shouted.

V-Rex's left cannon spun while shooting a volley of red missiles. The missiles exploded against the criminal with massive bursts of smoke and flame, forcing the villain back a few steps.

"V-Rex Knuckle!" Time Fire shouted. "Engage!"

The V-Rex fist energized and shot forward. The fist exploded against Time Shadow's armor with a massive burst of spark.

"Eric!" Time Yellow shouted. "What's the big idea? That's our zord!"

"Are you awake now, Time Shadow?" Time Fire asked.

The knuckle blast had jarred Time Shadow loose from the villain's control. Time Shadow quickly turned and slashed its blades across the villain's body.

"V-Rex!" Time Fire shouted. "MAX Blizzard!"

V-Rex's shoulder cannons fired streams of jade-tinted energy that exploded against the criminal with a massive display of power. The blast caused a chain reaction that caused the villain to shrink and enter a state of suspended animation.

Eric breathed a sigh of relief after powering down his armor. "It's been a long day…"

* * *

Wes and the other rangers walked into the hospital the next day to wish Reese well.

"Eric never came?" Wes asked.

"Are you really surprised?" Lucas said as they turned a corner.

They stopped in their tracks at what they saw up ahead. Time Fire was standing above the boy's bed, which was about to be rolled into the surgery room. The Quantum Ranger placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"You'll be fine, Reese…" Time Fire said. "Don't give up."

The boy smiled up at his hero.

**To be continued…**


End file.
